Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for the spectroscopic determination of the physical characteristics of the tissue under observation by an autofluorescence or other endoscope without the requirement of contacting the tissue directly. The optical probe contained in the endoscope itself is passive and may be either built into the endoscope or positioned in a biopsy channel of same. The spectroscopic information, combined with other information provided by the endoscope such as total fluorescence, improves the sensitivity and specificity of the identification of precancerous or cancerous lesions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical contact sensor for a spectroscopic probe. The sensor detects contact of the distal end of a fiber optic probe to a surface being measured. The system can be used to correct Raman spectral measurements of tissue.

Abstract: A system and processes for causing the simultaneity of events from two or more families of events are described. A repetition rate and modulus of each one the first families of events is determined. A second family of events has a controlled repetition rate that optimizes the simultaneity of a number of events of the second family with a corresponding number of events from the first family within a desired time period. The first families of events can be occurrences of scanning an image of a target across a detector element of a scanning imaging system. The modulus can be a number of lines per frame of the scanning imaging system. Laser pulses having a pulse repetition rate can be events from the second family of events. A system and processes may disable one or more scanning imaging systems by controlling a pulse repetition frequency of a laser output.