Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining fluorophores on objects, especially on the living ocular fundus, which makes it possible to reliably distinguish at least partially overlapping fluorophores of objects in excitation and/or fluorescence spectra even if fluorescence intensities are very low and to select them for analysis, and optionally create a two-dimensional representation. The object (4), e.g., the ocular fundus for ophthalmological examinations, is illuminated point to point with a pulsed laser (1) and excited to autofluorescence with two-dimensional extension. The transient fluorescence light created after excitation by each laser pulse is detected in time-correlated individual photon counting (11). From the time behavior of the fluorescence light determined by individual photon counting for each site of autofluorescence, the fluorescence decay time constants are calculated, and conclusions are drawn therefrom regarding the excited fluorophores in the object (4).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 1, 2000
Date of Patent:
April 16, 2002
Assignee:
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Buero für
Furschungstransfer-Sachgebiet Schutzrechte
Inventors:
Dietrich Schweitzer, Achim Kolb, Martin Hammer, Eike Thamm