Spectroscopic cross-channel method and apparatus for improved optical measurements of tissue

A method of performing spectroscopic determinations on a biological sample, the method comprising steps of:

• providing a plurality of illumination points;
• providing a plurality of detection points;
• measuring illumination incident on each of the plurality of detection points a plurality of times, wherein the measuring steps produce a plurality of measurements, each of the measurements including information defining a combination of a particular one of the plurality of illumination points and a particular one of the plurality of detection points involved in the each of the measurements;
• and
• determining a value for the biological sample from the plurality of measurements, comprising compensating for interface noise terms from the combinations of particular ones of the plurality of illumination points and particular ones of the plurality of detection points.

A sampler for spectroscopic measurements of a biological sample, the sampler comprising:

• a first illumination point that illuminates at least two detection points with measurable radiation;
• a second illumination point that illuminates said at least two detection points with measurable radiation;
• a first of said at least two detection points that receives measurable radiation from said first and second illumination points;
• a second of said at least two detection points that receives measurable radiation from said first and second illumination points, wherein the first illumination point, the second illumination point, the first detection point, the second detection point are configured to operatively engage the biological sample;
• and
• a controller in communication with the first and second illumination points and in communication with the first and second detection points to generate a plurality of measurements, each of the measurements including information defining a combination of a particular one of the plurality of illumination points and a particular one of the plurality of detection points involved in the each of the measurements, and to determine a value from the plurality of measurements that is related to the biological sample by compensating for interface noise terms from the combinations of particular ones of the plurality of illumination points and particular ones of the plurality of detection points.