Abstract: A fiber optic needle probe for measuring or imaging the internal structure of a specimen includes a needle defining a bore, an optical fiber substantially positioned within the bore, and a beam director in optical communication with the optical fiber. At least a portion of the wall of the needle is capable of transmitting light. The beam director directs light from the optical fiber to an internal structure being imaged and receives light from the structure through a transparent portion of the wall. An actuating device causes motion of any, or all of, the needle, optical fiber, and beam director to scan the internal structure of the specimen. The fiber optic needle probe allows imaging inside a solid tissue or organ without intraluminal insertion. When used in conjunction with an OCT imaging system, the fiber optic needle probe enables tomographic imaging of the microstructure of internal organs and tissues which were previously impossible to image in a living subject.

Abstract: The systems comprise source means for illuminating the fluorophores with diffuse photon density waves of a first specified wavelength, whereby the fluorophores will fluoresce re-radiated diffuse photon density waves of a second wavelength after being illuminated with the diffuse photon density waves of the first specified wavelength; detection means for detecting the re-radiated diffuse photon density waves of the second wavelength, wherein there is a phase shift between the diffuse photon density waves of the first wavelength and the diffuse photon density waves of the second wavelength; and processing means interfaced with the detection means for processing data corresponding to the phase shift and the amplitude of the re-radiated waves to determine concentration and lifetime of the fluorophores as a function of spatial position of the fluorophores in the turbid medium.