REMOTE SPECTROSCOPY IN GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY

THE SENSITIVITY OF THE HUMAN EYE IS LIMITED TO THE SPECTRAL BAND FROM 450 TO ABOUT 650 NM. HOWEVER, MATERIALS ALSO VARYIN OPTICAL ABSORPTIVITY AND REFLECTIVITY IN THE ULTRAVIOLET AND NEAR INFRARED ON EITHER SIDE OF THIS "VISIBLE" SPECTRAL BAND. IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THE OPTICAL INFORMATION IN THESE SPECTRAL REGIONS OUTSIDE THE VISIBLE WOULD BE USEFUL, ALONG WITH VISIBLE WAVELENGTH IMAGES, IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH ON THE ETIOLOGY, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT OF GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASES AS WELL AS OTHER DISEASES. WITH THIS RICH PROSPECT AT HAND, THE PHASE I STUDY WILL EXPLORE MEANS FOR ACQUIRING DIGITIZED FIBEROPTIC ENDOSCOPIC IMAGES WITH PROVISION FOR SELECTING NARROW SPECTRAL BANDS FROM APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 900 NM.