Apparatus for measuring and evaluating the inherent fluorescent spectra of organic tissue surfaces

Claim 1

In an arrangement for measuring and evaluating the inherent fluorescent spectra of the surface of an object defining an object plane, the object being in the form of an organic tissue specimen of a patient, the arrangement including: an evaluation device for determining the maximum intensity of the light reflected from said surface at a wavelength λ A and for determining the maximum intensity of the fluorescent light from said surface in the range of wavelengths longer than λ A ; and, a modified microscope photometer for illuminating the surface of the specimen and for transmitting the light from said surface to said evaluation device, the modified microscope photometer comprising: a housing; a stand for mounting said housing thereon; movable structure means interposed between said stand and said housing for facilitating the movement of said housing with respect to the patient so as to place said housing next to said object; illuminating light source means mounted in said housing for generating light at said wavelength λ A of between 250 nm and 550 nm; imaging means for imaging said light source onto said object to stimulate the inherent fluorescence of the organic tissue of the object; said imaging means including an objective for imaging an object plane and defining an optical axis transverse to said object plane; said objective being capable of transmitting light in the ultra-violet wavelength range and being mounted on said optical axis so as to be movable relative to said object for focussing the reflected and fluorescent light from the latter and transmitting the same down said optical axis; and, a spectrograph operatively connected to said evaluation device and mounted on said optical axis for detecting said light from said object in a wavelength range of 250 nm and 700 nm.