DETECTION, IMAGING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BREAST TUMORS

摘要

An optical examination technique employs an optical system (15,45, 100, 150, 200, 260 or 300) for in vivo non-invasive examinationof breast tissue of a subject. The optical system includes an opticalmodule (12 or 14), a controller and a processor. The optical moduleincludes an array of optical input ports and optical detection portslocated in a selected geometrical pattern to provide a multiplicity ofphoton migration paths inside the biological tissue. Each optical inputport is constructed to introduce into the examined tissue visible orinfrared light emitted from a light source. Each optical detection portis constructed to provide light from the tissue to a light detector. Thecontroller is constructed and arranged to activate one or several lightsources and light detectors so that the light detector detects light that hasmigrated over at least one of the photon migration paths. The processorreceives signals corresponding to the detected light and forms at leasttwo data sets, a first of said data sets representing blood volume inthe examined tissue region and a second of said data sets representingblood oxygenation of the examined tissue. The processor is arrangedto correlate the first and second data sets to detect abnormal tissue inthe examined tissue.