Method and apparatus for investigating histology of epithelial tissue

摘要

A method for monitoring the presence of selected chromophores in a sample of epithelial tissue, independent of the amount of a predetermined chromophore, the method comprising: illuminating an area of tissue by projecting light from a light source of at least two different wavelengths λ₁, λ₂; receiving light remitted by the illuminated area of tissue at a photoreceptor; analysing the received light to identify and measure the proportion of light of each wavelength remitted from the tissue I_r (λ); calculating the ratio of light at each wavelength returned from the tissue R_t, (λ), and then calculating Z=Formula (I); where 1 is chosen such that Z is independent of the amount of predetermined chromophore. Typically 1 is calculated such that Z=Formula (II); where j and k are such that 2j α(λ₁)=2kj α(λ₂)=1 where α(λ₁) and α(λ₂) are the absorbtion coefficients for the predetermined chromophore at each wavelength.