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Abstract

An apparatus for analyzing the chemical composition of tissue includes a near infrared light source, a fiber-optic probe, a mechanism for directing the light from the light source onto the tissue and detectors for detecting light reflected by the tissue. The light source transmits an incident beam having a wavelength ranging from 1000 to 2500 nm. A compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) is connected to a distal end of the fiber optic probe to focus or concentrate the wavelengths of light simultaneously and in parallel on a particular spot of tissue. Alternatively, an inverted, substantially conical reflector is positioned to scatter the incident light across the tissue. The method includes the steps of (1) focusing light onto the tissue to be analyzed; (2) detecting light reflected by the tissue; and (3) analyzing the resulting spectra across the full wavelength of the originally focused light. A color image is then produced for subsequent study.

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First Claim