The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 07, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 23, 1997
Peter P Gombrich, Chicago, IL (US);
Norman J Pressman, Glencoe, IL (US);
Richard A Domanik, Libertyville, IL (US);
AccuMed International, Inc., Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for imaging body tissue utilizing autofluorescence. The apparatus includes an endoscope having a distal end, proximal end and a light processing unit located at the proximal end of the endoscope. The light processing unit accepts light in a spectral region from a light source and directs the light through the endoscope to the tissue located at the distal end of the endoscope. The light excites autofluorescence in the tissue. Optics located in the distal end of the endoscope collect the excited autofluorescence in a spatially resolved manner and routes it to the light processing unit which separates the emitted light from any reflected excitation light. A plurality of imaging detectors receive the emitted light. Each imaging detector is responsive to light in a different spectral band such that an image is generated and interpreted according to a plurality of independent measurements. An apparatus for sampling tissue includes an endoscopic device having a sampling device. The sampling device is capable of taking a plurality of tissue samples. Captive units are in communication with the sampling device such that each tissue sample is deposited in a separate captive unit.