System and method for detecting physical characteristics of a multilayered tissue of a subject

A system for detecting physical characteristics of a multilayered tissue of a subject, the system comprising:

• an optical subsystem comprising at least:
• a broadband light source configured and positioned to directly or indirectly illuminate the multilayered tissue;
• and
• at least one optical detector, configured and positioned to optically detect one or more optical properties of the multilayered tissue;
• and
• a processing module operatively associated with the optical subsystem, the processing module being configured to:
• receive detector output from the at least one optical detector;
• determine spectral properties of the multilayered tissue by processing the received detector output;
• and
• determine physical characteristics of the multilayered tissue by using multiple spectral models of the multilayered tissue comprising at least:
• a first model assuming a normal condition of the multilayered tissue and one or more additional models, assuming abnormal conditions of the multilayered tissue, each model being associated with different spectral properties, wherein physical characteristics of the multilayered tissue are determined by hierarchal determination of a best-fit model from the multiple spectral models, based on determination of best-fit of the multilayered tissue to one of the spectral model,
• wherein the processing module is configured to determine the physical characteristics of the multilayered tissue by comparing spectral properties of a reflected light to spectral properties of the first model and of the one or more additional models within at least one predefined wavelengths range in which spectral properties of the reflected light is distinctively different for different conditions of the multilayered tissue, and
• wherein the physical characteristics of the multilayered tissue comprise one or more of:
• thickness of at least one layer of the multilayered tissue;
• thickness of at least one area of at least one layer of the multilayered tissue;
• foreign bodies types, dimensions, coverage, material, concentration, periodical level, and/or thickness;
• accumulated structures' configuration, dimensions and/or periodicity level;
• layers arrangement;
• differences in thicknesses of areas of a layer or a sub layer of the multilayered tissue.