Fiberoptic interferometer and associated method for analyzing tissue

A method of analyzing a tissue of a predetermined organ, wherein tissue of the predetermined organ has predetermined attenuation characteristics which define the manner in which tissue of the predetermined organ will attenuate light of different wavelengths, the method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a broadband light source for providing light having a wavelength within a predetermined range of wavelengths, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting the broadband light source such that the attenuation characteristics of tissue of the predetermined organ to light having a wavelength within the predetermined range of wavelengths define a region of minimum attenuation upon illumination of tissue of the predetermined organ with light having a first wavelength;
• transmitting respective portions of the light provided by the broadband light source through a reference arm having first and second ends and a signal arm of an interferometer, wherein the portion of the light transmitted via the reference arm is at least partially reflected by the second end thereof, and wherein the portion of the light transmitted via the signal arm is at least partially scattered by the tissue;
• generating an interferometric signal representative of the tissue based upon light reflected by the second end of the reference arm and light scattered by the tissue;
• and
• comparing the interferometric signal resulting from said generating step with predetermined interferometric signals corresponding to illumination of different types of tissue of the predetermined organ with light having the first wavelength, wherein said comparing step comprises identifying the predetermined interferometric signal which most closely matches the interferometric signal resulting from said generating step.

A method of analyzing tissue comprising the steps of:

• providing a light source capable of emitting light of a plurality of wavelengths within a continuous spectrum;
• selecting respective ones of the plurality of predetermined wavelengths of light to be emitted by the light source;
• transmitting respective portions of the emitted light through a reference arm having first and second ends and a signal arm of an interferometer;
• at least partially reflecting the portion of the light transmitted via the reference arm from the second end thereof;
• at least partially scattering the portion of the light transmitted via the signal arm from the tissue;
• generating an interferometric signal representative of the optical properties of the tissue at each of the selected wavelengths of light based upon light reflected by the at least partially reflective second end of the reference arm and light scattered by the tissues;
• individually comparing the generated interferometric signals with respective ones of a plurality of predetermined interferometric signals representative of different types of tissue of the predetermined organ;
• and
• selecting light of at least one of the plurality of predetermined wavelengths for subsequent treatment of the tissue based upon the optical properties of the tissue at each of the selected wavelengths of light as represented by the respective interferometric signals.