Optical methods and systems for rapid screening of the cervix
US6427082B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 30, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/0086
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and a system is provided for discriminating between healthy cervical tissue and pathologic cervical tissue based on the fluorescence response of the tissue to laser excitation (LIF) and the backscatter response to illumination by white light (in the spectral range of 360 to 750 nm). Combining LIF and white light responses, as well as evaluating a spatial correlation between proximate cervical tissue sites in conjunction with a statistically significant “distance” algorithm, such as the Mahalanobis distance between data sets, can improve the discrimination between normal and abnormal tissue. The results may be displayed in the form of a map of the cervix representing the suspected pathology.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.