Method and an arrangement for the determination of the optical properties of a multi-layered tissue

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for the determination of the optical properties of a multi-layered tissue. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for the detection and characterization of tumors in a tissue.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method for determining optical properties of a multi-layered tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
 illuminating the multi-layered tissue, which includes a plurality of air/tissue interfaces, with a continuous-wave collimated electromagnetic beam successively from each of a plurality of directions at each of a plurality of wavelengths;   independently detecting, in one dimension only for each successive illumination, reflectance and/or transmittance data received from a column of the multi-layered tissue that is substantially perpendicular to each of the plurality of air/tissue interfaces; and   comparing the detected reflectance and/or transmittance data with simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data generated for the multi-layered tissue to determine optical properties of the multi-layered tissue.   
     
     
         10 . A method for determining optical properties of a multi-layered tissue as recited in  claim 9 , further including the step of determining a tissue configuration of the multi-layered tissue based on the determined optical properties and characterizing the tissue configuration for diagnosis. 
     
     
         11 . A method for determining optical properties of a multi-layered tissue as recited in  claim 9 , further including the step of generating an image of the optical properties of the multi-layered tissue, the image including a plurality of pixels whereby each pixel represents optical properties determined for a particular column of the multi-layered tissue that is substantially perpendicular to each of the plurality of air/tissue interfaces. 
     
     
         12 . A method for determining optical properties of a multi-layered tissue as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the step of comparing includes identifying the simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data that approximate the detected reflectance and/or transmittance data to determine the optical properties of the multi-layered tissue. 
     
     
         13 . A method for determining optical properties of a multi-layered tissue as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the step of comparing includes a synthetic database including the simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data, the simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data being based on a plurality of different tissue configurations for the multi-layered tissue, each tissue configuration consisting of a combination of optical properties corresponding to a particular set of values of simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data. 
     
     
         14 . A system for determining optical properties of a multi-layered tissue, the system comprising:
 an apparatus including:   a continuous-wave collimated light source configured to successively illuminate the multi-layered tissue, which includes a plurality of air/tissue interfaces, from each of a plurality of directions at each of a plurality of wavelengths, and   a detector configured to detect reflectance and/or transmittance data received, in one dimension only, from a column of the multi-layered tissue that is substantially perpendicular to each of the plurality of air/tissue interfaces;   a synthetic database including simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data, the simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data being based on a plurality of different tissue configurations for the multi-layered tissue, each tissue configuration consisting of a combination of optical properties corresponding to a particular set of values of simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data;   wherein the synthetic database is configured to compare the detected reflectance and/or transmittance data with the simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data to identify the simulated reflectance and/or transmittance data that approximates the detected reflectance and/or transmittance data to determine optical properties of the multi-layered tissue; and   an image generator configured to generate an image of the optical properties of the multi-layered tissue, the image including a plurality of pixels whereby each pixel represents optical properties determined for each column of the multi-layered tissue that is substantially perpendicular to each of the plurality of air/tissue interfaces.