MULTIPHOTON EXCITATION THROUGH OPTICAL FIBERS FOR FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY

摘要

The present invention is directed to a method of applying radiation through an optical fiber (106) for detecting disease within a plant or animal or imaging a particular tissue of a plant or animal. In addition, fluorescence can be detected and localized within a subject by such application of radiation through an optical fiber (106). The radiation is effective to promote simultaneous multiphoton excitation. The optical fibers are used alone to examine internal regions of tissue, in conjunction with an optical biopsy needle (114) to evaluate sub-surface tissue, or with an endoscope (16) to evaluate tissue within the body cavities.