Apparatus and method for determining tissue characteristics

US6577391B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Spectrx, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Mark L. Faupel · Alpharetta, US
• Shabbir Bambot · Suwanee, US
• Tim Harrell · Norcross, US
• J. David Farquhar · Commerce, US
• Glenn Steven Arche · Bothell, US
• Walter R. Sanders · Duluth, US
• Edward L. Kimbrell · Buford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 24, 2000
• Grant date: Jun 10, 2003
• Expiry date: Mar 24, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N21/64
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus embodying the invention includes a probe head with an interrogation surface that is intended to be positioned adjacent or pushed into contact with a target material or tissue. The probe head is constructed to have a plurality of interrogation devices arranged across the face of the interrogation surface. The probe head is also constructed so that the interrogation device can conform to a non-uniform or non-planar surface of the target tissue. In some embodiments, the interrogation surface may have a particular shape that conforms to the shape of a target material. In other embodiments, one or more portions of the interrogation surface could be movable with respect to the remaining portions so that the interrogation surface could be movable with respect to remaining portions so that the interrogation surface can the thereby conform to a non-uniform surface. In still other embodiments, a plurality of separately moveable interrogation devices can be arranged across the interrogation surface. During a measurement process, the interrogation surface would be pressed into contact with the non-uniform surface to cause individual ones of the interrogation devices to move, there…