US 2004/0111031 A1 · Spectral polarizing tomographic dermatoscope

Abstract

An apparatus for use in examining an object, such as skin, mucosa and cervical tissues for the purpose of detecting cancer and precancerous conditions therein. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a gun-shaped housing having a handle portion and a barrel portion. The front end of the barrel portion is open, and a glass cover is mounted therein. Red, green, blue, and white LED's are disposed within the handle portion of the housing and are electrically connected to a battery also disposed within the handle portion of the housing. A manually-operable switch for controlling actuation of each of the four LED's is accessible on the handle portion of the housing. An optical fiber is disposed inside the housing and is used to transmit light from the four LED's through a first polarizer disposed in the barrel portion of the housing and then through the glass cover to illuminate a desired object. Reflected light from the object entering the housing through the glass cover is passed through a second polarizer, which is adjustably mounted in the barrel portion of the housing and which is preferably oriented to pass depolarized light emitted from an illuminated object, and is then imaged by optics onto a CCD detector. The optics may include a lens that is disposed within the barrel portion and is adjustably spaced relative to the CCD detector. The detector is coupled to a wireless transmitter mounted in the housing, the transmitter transmitting the output from the detector to a remotely located wireless receiver. The wireless receiver is coupled to a computer, which then processes the output from the detector. The processed output is then displayed on a display. The display may be remotely situated for remote expert diagnosis.

Claims36

Dependent claims

An apparatus suitable for use in examining skin, mucosa and cervical tissues for the purpose of detecting cancer and precancerous conditions therein, said apparatus comprising:

(a) first illuminating means for illuminating an object with polarized light of a first wavelength;
(b) second illuminating means for illuminating an object with polarized light of a second wavelength, said second wavelength being different from said first wavelength;
(c) a control coupled to each of said first illuminating means and said second illuminating means to permit selective actuation of said first illuminating means and said second illuminating means;
(d) a light detector for outputting an electrical signal in response to light incident thereonto;
(e) an adjustable polarizer positioned between said light detector and the illuminated object;
(f) optics for imaging light emitted from the illuminated object onto said light detector;
(g) a computer for processing the output from said light detector;
(h) means for transmitting the output from said light detector to said computer;
and
(i) a display for displaying the results of said processing by said computer.

7 more elements

An apparatus for use in examining an object, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a hand-held housing, said hand-held housing having an opening;
(b) first illuminating means, disposed inside said hand-held housing, for illuminating an object with light of a first color;
(c) second illuminating means, disposed inside said hand-held housing, for illuminating an object with light of a second color, said second color being different from said first color;
(d) a manually operable control switch coupled to each of said first illuminating means and said second illuminating means to permit selective actuation of said first illuminating means and said second illuminating means;
(e) an optical fiber disposed inside said hand-held housing and optically coupled at a first end to said first and second illuminating means and optically aligned at a second end with said opening;
(f) a first polarizer disposed inside said hand-held housing and optically aligned between said second end of said optical fiber and said opening of said hand-held housing;
(g) a light detector disposed inside said hand-held housing for outputting an electrical signal in response to light incident thereonto;
(h) a second polarizer disposed inside said hand-held housing, said second polarizer being positioned in front of and optically aligned with said light detector;
(i) optics for imaging onto said light detector light entering into said hand-held housing through said opening;
(j) a computer, disposed remotely relative to said hand-held housing, for processing the output from said light detector;
(k) a wireless receiver electrically coupled to said computer;
(l) a wireless transmitter electrically coupled to said light detector and mechanically coupled to said hand-held housing;
(m) a display coupled to said computer for displaying the results of said processing from said computer;
and
(n) means for moving said optics relative to the sample to provide a variable lens to sample distance to image light from the surface or subsurface layers of the sample located at the focal imaging plane.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Spectral polarizing tomographic dermatoscope

Life of this patent

Spectral polarizing tomographic dermatoscope

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36