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Abstract

For in vivo examination using a spectrophotometer that generates optical radiation and characterizes biological tissue by detecting photons that have migrated in the tissue, an array of optical fibers that transmit radiation between the spectrophotometer and biological tissue, the fibers including distal ends freely protruding from a support in the manner of bristles from a hairbrush, forming an array of optical ports to couple photons to a contiguous tissue region or to collect photons from the tissue region, the optical fibers including proximal ends arranged to optically couple the radiation with the spectrophotometer. Also shown are: fibers sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair on the subject's head to make optical contact over an array of points with the scalp or skin; the array of fibers constructed as a handheld probe moved and placed against the head; optical matching material coupling between the fibers and the biological tissue region; and an irradiation array with the proximal fiber ends coupled to a light source, e.g. for brain tissue examination. Also shown are fibers as a detection array, e.g. for brain tissue examination or for imaging of the brain or for use in a magnet used for magnetic resonance imaging. The spectrophotometer is shown as a continuous wave spectrophotometer, phase modulation spectrophotometer, time resolved spectrophotometer and a phased array spectrophotometer.

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First Claim