Abstract

Many advances in medical care are expected from the actual improvements in the ability to noninvasively monitor and early detect very small changes in tissue function or structure. In optical diagnostic methods, light is directed into tissue and the small amount of emerging (reflected or transmitted) light, bearing clues about the explored tissue, is detected and analysed. Compared to other methods, the main advantages of the optical techniques come from the nonionizing nature of the light and the fact that optical sources are portable, inexpensive, and can be used safely for extended periods of time.

© 1994 IEEE