Abstract: An endoscope comprising a first light source for illuminating biological tissue with light, a first detector for detecting macroscopic images and fluorescent images from the tissue by reflected light and fluorescent light induced in the tissue, a second light source for illuminating the tissue with light, a confocal microscopic waveguide for supplying light from the second light source to the tissue and for supplying microscopic fluorescent images of the tissue, and a second detector for detecting the microscopic fluorescent images from the confocal microscopic waveguide.

Abstract: A confocal imaging system using optical fibers is provided which has a flexible near confocal optical transmission means having a light collection end adjacent to a light collection of the confocal optical transmission means and adapted to transmit only near confocal light emerging from points in the object located within a range of distances above and below the focal plane, in such a manner that a selected portion of the near confocal light emerging from greater than any selected distance within the range is substantially separable from the remainder. The system also has variable selection means to exclude from detection the selected portion.