Method and apparatus for identifying a Raman spectrum from background fluorescence

A method for identifying a Raman spectrum from subject tissue using Raman spectroscopy, the method comprising:

• interrogating the subject tissue with light at the one or more predetermined wavelengths produced by at least one light source;
• determining an observed spectrum by sensing the subject tissue for light emitted from the subject tissue using one or more light detectors, the observed spectrum resulting from the light interrogation of the subject tissue, and the observed spectrum including a background fluorescence component and a Raman spectrum component;
• creating a reconstructed fluorescence spectrum representative of the background fluorescence component of the observed spectrum using one or more empirical fluorescent spectral profiles;
• and
• identifying the Raman spectrum component of the observed spectrum using the reconstructed fluorescence spectrum.

A system for identifying a Raman spectrum emitted from subject tissue, comprising:

• at least one light source;
• at least one light detector;
• and
• an analyzer in communication with the at least one light source, the at least one light detector, and a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed cause the analyzer to:
• control the light source to interrogate a tissue sample with light at one or more predetermined wavelengths;
• control the light detector to sense an observed spectrum of light emitted from the subject tissue resulting from the light interrogation of the subject tissue, and to produce signals representative of the observed spectrum, the observed spectrum having a background fluorescence component representative of fluorescent emissions resulting from the light interrogation and a Raman spectrum component representative of a Raman scattering resulting from the light interrogation;
• create a reconstructed fluorescence spectrum representative of the background fluorescence component of the observed spectrum using one or more empirically determined fluorescent spectral profiles;
• and
• identify the Raman spectrum component of the observed spectrum using the reconstructed fluorescence spectrum.

A method for identifying a Raman spectrum emitted from a material, the method comprising:

• interrogating a material with light at the one or more predetermined wavelengths produced by at least one light source;
• determining an observed spectrum by sensing the material for light emitted from the material using one or more light detectors, the observed spectrum resulting from the light interrogation of the material, and the observed spectrum including a background fluorescence component and a Raman spectrum component;
• creating a reconstructed fluorescence spectrum representative of the background fluorescence component of the observed spectrum using one or more empirical fluorescent spectral profiles;
• and
• identifying the Raman spectrum component of the observed spectrum using the reconstructed fluorescence spectrum.