Compact medical fluorosensor for minimally invasive tissue characterization

A compact fiber-optic point-measuring fluorosensor fully adapted to clinical studies is described. The system can use two excitation wavelengths, 337 and 405nm, obtained from a nitrogen laser directly, or after dye laser conversion, respectively. The image intensifier used in the spectrometer can be gated with a variable time delay, allowing also time-resolved spectra to be extracted, with a time resolution of about 4ns. Moreover, diffusely scattered white light can be spectrally recorded. The system is fully computer controlled enabling short recording times in clinical application, which are illustrated.