FIBEROPTIC PROBE FOR BROAD-BAND IN SITU SPECTROSCOPY

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN NEW GLASS OPTICAL FIBERS BASED ON ZIRCONIUM FLUORIDE (ZRF), WHICH TRANSMIT LIGHT AT LOW LOSSESOVER A WIDE BANDPASS FROM 200 NM WAVE IN THE ULTRAVIOLET (UV) SPECTRUM THROUGH THE VISIBLE SPECTRUM OUT TO NEARLY 5MUWEAVELENGTH IN THE MID-INFRARED (IR) WAVELENGTHS, SUGGEST THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CLINICAL INSTRUMENT COMBINING THESE NEWFIBERS IN A FIBEROPTIC ENDOSCOPE TO PERFORM A BROAD RANGE OFSPECTRAL ANALYSES IN SITU TO MEASURE PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS. DURING THE PROPOSED PROGRAM, UV, VISIBLE, AND IR CAPABILITIES WILL BE DEMONSTRATED AND EVALUATED. SPECIFIC EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON COUPLING A FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED (FTIR) SPECTROMETER TO THE FIBER PROBE TO DEMONSTRATE HOW THIS TECHNIQUE COULD BECOME A USEFUL CLINICAL METHOD FOR THE EARLY DETECTION OF CANCER IN THE ESOPHAGUS, COLON, AND OTHER HOLLOW ORGANS. THE PHASE I PROGRAM WILL CONCENTRATE ON THE DEMONSTRATION OF A WORKING LAB SYSTEM EMPLOYING ALL ELEMENTS NECESSARY FOR A CLINICAL DEVICE.