Device and method for determining parameters regarding a content or property of biomolecules in biological tissues

A device for determining one or more parameters regarding a content or property of biomolecules, in particular metabolites, in a biological tissue, the device comprising

• at least one irradiation unit configured to irradiate the tissue with electromagnetic radiation exhibiting one or more wavelengths or wavelength ranges, in particular in the mid-infrared, near-infrared or visible spectral range,
• at least one detection unit configured to detect, in a spatially resolved manner, first signals corresponding to optical, optoacoustic, or optothermal signals emanating from the tissue in response to irradiating the tissue with electromagnetic radiation, in particular in the near-infrared or visible spectral range, wherein the at least one irradiation unit and the at least one detection unit are located in the same half space above or adjacent to the irradiated tissue, and
• a processing unit configured
• i) to localize, based on the detected first signals, a location or region of interest on or within the tissue, at which at least one biomolecule, in particular metabolite, of interest is present or expected to be present,
• ii) to control the at least one irradiation unit to irradiate the localized location or region of interest on or within the tissue with electromagnetic radiation exhibiting a time-varying intensity and one or more wavelengths or wavelength ranges in the mid-infrared spectral range,
• iii) to control the at least one detection unit to detect second signals corresponding to optoacoustic or optothermal signals emanating from the irradiated location or region of interest on or within the tissue in response to irradiating the location or region of interest on or within the tissue with the electromagnetic radiation in the mid-infrared spectral range, and
• iv) to determine, based on the detected second signals, one or more parameters regarding a content or property of the at least one biomolecule of interest at the location or region of interest on or within in the tissue.