System and method for detecting abnormal tissue using vascular features

Abstract

A imaging system includes a camera, a display and a processor. The camera has color video acquisition capability, and is mounted to a distal end of an interventional instrument insertable within an object, the camera providing image frames for imaging vasculature of the object, each image frame including multiple pixels providing corresponding signals, respectively. The processor is programmed to receive the signals; amplify variations in at least one of color and motion of the signals corresponding to the multiple pixels; determine spatial phase variability, frequency and signal characteristics of at least some of the amplified signals corresponding to the multiple pixels, respectively; identify pixels indicative of abnormal vascularity based on the spatial phase variability, frequency and/or signal characteristics; create a vascular map corresponding to each, where each vascularity map includes a portion of the object having the abnormal vascularity; and operate the display to display each vascularity map.