ABSTRACT
The use of light for medical diagnostics exploits the changes in one or more measurable properties of ultraviolet (UV), visible (vis) or near-infrared (NIR) photons that are transmitted through or reflected from tissue due to interaction with tissue structures and molecules. There are many different techniques under development for optical diagnostics. In this chapter, only those that may be used in vivo, i.e. non-invasively or minimally invasively in patients, will be considered. The next section will present the underlying physical principles for each technique, show examples of clinical applications and illustrate the instrumentation involved. In each case, future developments will also be indicated. Finally, an overall look ahead will point to major challenges and overall trends in this field.
