Method for determining if tissue is malignant as opposed to non-malignant using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy

US5467767A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• Robert R. Alfano · New York, US
• Asima Pradhan · Bhubaneshwar, IN
• Guichen Tang · Great Neck, US
• Leming Wang · Great Neck, US
• Yury Budansky · Oakland, US
• Bidyut B. Das · New York, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 27, 1993
• Grant date: Nov 21, 1995
• Expiry date: Aug 27, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2021/6417
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for determining if tissue is malignant as opposed to non-malignant (i.e., benign tumor tissue, benign tissue, or normal tissue). In one embodiment, the method comprises irradiating a human breast tissue sample with light at a wavelength of about 310 nm and measuring the time-resolved fluorescence emitted therefrom at about 340 nm. The time-resolved fluorescence profile is then compared to similar profiles obtained from known malignant and non-malignant human breast tissues. By fitting the profiles to the formula I(t)=A.sub.1 e.sup.(-t/.tau. 1.sup.) +A.sub.2 e.sup.(-t/.tau. 2.sup.), one can quantify the differences between tissues of various conditions. For example, non-malignant human breast tissues exhibit a slow component (.tau..sub.2) which is less than 1.6 ns whereas malignant human breast tissues exhibit a slow component (.tau..sub.2) which is greater than 1.6 ns. In addition, non-malignant human breast tissues exhibit a ratio of fast to slow amplitudes (A.sub.1 /A.sub.2) which is greater than 0.85 whereas malignant human breast tissues exhibit a ratio of fast to slow amplitudes (A.sub.1 /A.sub.2) which is less than 0.6. This technique can be used with different excit…