Hutchinson Technology Corporation

David L Anderson

Dean E Myers

Mark Steven Lewandowski

Joseph P Ortner

Galen D Houk

A measurement system and method for measuring a relative concentration of a first form of a chromophore having a first form and a second form. The method comprises irradiating a tissue sample with light at a plurality of wavelengths within a wavelength range within which the first and second forms of the chromophore provide an overlapping spectral response. A detector is provided that detects spectral data emitted from the tissue. Furthermore, the method comprises determining a first and a second 2d derivative spectrum value, at first and second wavelengths, respectively, within said wavelength range at which the first 2d derivative spectrum value varies with the relative concentration of the first form of the chromophore. A scaled, 2d derivative spectrum value is derived from the first and second 2d derivative spectrum values. A memory stores a correlation which provides the relative chromophore concentration as a function of the scaled, 2d derivative spectrum value. Finally, the relative concentration of the first form of the chromophore in the tissue sample is determined from the 2d derivative spectrum values and the correlation.

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Bloomington, MN, United States of America

David L Anderson