Optical coupler for in vivo examination of biological tissue

Abstract

A spectrophotometric system for examination of biological tissue of interest includes a light source, a light coupling system, a light detector, and a processor. The light source is constructed and arranged to emit a light beam of visible or infra-red radiation. The light coupling system includes at least one mirror and is constructed and arranged to receive the emitted light beam and scan the light beam for introduction into the biological tissue of interest. The light detector is optically coupled to detect photons of radiation that have migrated over optical paths in the biological tissue of interest. The processor is operatively coupled to the light source and detector and is adapted to determine an optical property of the biological tissue of interest based on the changes between the introduced and detected radiation.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A spectrophotometric system for examination of biological tissue of interest using visible or infra-red radiation scattered over photon migration paths in the tissue, comprising:
 a light source constructed and arranged to emit a light beam of visible or infra-red radiation;   a light coupling system, including at least one mirror, constructed and arranged to receive said emitted light beam, and constructed to scan said received light beam and direct said scanned light beam directly into the biological tissue of interest;   a light detector optically coupled to detect photons of radiation that have migrated over optical paths in the biological tissue of interest; and   a processor, operatively coupled to said light source and detector, adapted to determine an optical property of the biological tissue of interest based on the changes between said introduced radiation in form of said directed light beam and said detected radiation that have migrated over photon migration paths in the biological tissue of interest.   
     
     
         36 . The spectrophotometric system of  claim 35  constructed and arranged as a time resolved spectrophotometric unit, wherein said light source is constructed to emit radiation comprises radiation pulses on the order of a nanosecond or less. 
     
     
         37 . The spectrophotometric system of  claim 35  constructed and arranged as a continuous wave spectrophotometer, wherein said light source is constructed to emit continuous wave, low modulation frequency radiation. 
     
     
         38 . The spectrophotometric system of  claim 35  constructed and arranged as a phase modulation spectrophotometric unit, wherein said light source is constructed to emit radiation that is modulated by a carrier waveform of a frequency on the order of 10 8  Hz. 
     
     
         39 . The spectrophotometric system of  claim 38 , wherein said light detector is a photomultiplier tube. 
     
     
         40 . The spectrophotometric system of  claim 35 , wherein said light includes a laser. 
     
     
         41 . The spectrophotometric system of  claim 35 , wherein said light detector includes a photomultiplier tube. 
     
     
         42 . The spectrophotometric system of  claim 35 , wherein said light detector includes a diode detector. 
     
     
         43 . A spectrophotometric system for examination of biological tissue by migration of photons scattered and absorbed over photon migration paths inside the examined tissue, comprising:
 a laser source constructed and arranged to emit a laser beam of visible or infra-red radiation;   a light detector optically coupled to detect photons that have migrated over optical scatter paths in the examined biological tissue;   an ultrasound system constructed and arranged to deliver ultrasound to and receive ultrasound from the examined biological tissue; and   a processor adapted to determine an optical property of the examined biological tissue based on the changes between said radiation introduced in form of said directed laser beam and said detected radiation that have migrated and scattered over photon migration paths inside the examined biological tissue.   
     
     
         44 . A spectrophotometric system for examination of biological tissue by migration of photons scattered and absorbed over photon migration paths inside the examined tissue, comprising:
 a laser source constructed and arranged to emit a laser beam of visible or infra-red radiation;   a rotating mirror constructed and arranged to receive said emitted light beam, and direct the laser beam into the examined biological tissue;   
       a light detector optically coupled to detect photons that have migrated over optical scatter paths in the examined biological tissue; and
 a processor adapted to determine an optical property of the examined biological tissue based on the changes between said radiation introduced in form of said directed laser beam and said detected radiation that have migrated and scattered over photon migration paths inside the examined biological tissue. 
 
     
     
         45 . The spectrophotometric system of  claim 44 , wherein said light includes a laser. 
     
     
         46 . The spectrophotometric system of  claim 44 , wherein said light detector includes a diode detector.