Process and device for detection of precancer tissues with infrared spectroscopy

1. A process for determining whether tissue is precancer tissues, benign tissues or normal, comprising:

obtaining a spectrum of a tissue in a first set of subranges of wave numbers, wherein said first set of subranges distinguishes between benign and precancer tissues, and in a second set of subranges of wave numbers, wherein said second set of subranges distinguishes between normal and precancer tissues;

first classifying said tissue as precancer or benign using said first set of subranges;

second classifying said tissue as precancer or normal using said second set of subranges; and

determining said tissue is precancer if said tissue is classified as precancer in both said first classifying step and said second classifying step, and said tissue is non-precancer if said first classifying step classifies said tissue as benign regardless of whether said second classifying step classifies said tissue as precancer or normal; and

wherein said obtaining step is performed using a device selected from the group consisting of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer using broad band light, and a spectrometer using a light source selected from the group consisting of multiple narrowband light sources and at least one tunable narrowband light source.

2. A process according to claim 1 , wherein said first set of subranges is not the most selective set of subranges for distinguishing between benign tissues and precancer tissues.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein said second set of subranges is not the most selective set of subranges for distinguishing between normal and precancer tissues.

4. A process according to claim 1 , wherein said first set of subranges and said second set of subranges include wavelengths of approximately 5.6 to 5.9, 6.3 to 6.7 and 8.4 to 10.5 microns.

5. A process according to claim 1 , wherein said first set of subranges includes wavelengths of approximately 7.6 to approximately 8.4 microns.

6. A process according to claim 1 , wherein said second set of subranges includes wavelengths of approximately 6.7 to approximately 7.6 microns.

7. A process according to claim 1 , wherein both of said first set of subranges and said second set of subranges are within a diagnostic region having wavelengths between approximately 8.3 and approximately 11.1 microns.

8. A process according to any one of claims 5 to 7 , wherein one of said subranges is the entirety of between approximately 8.4 and approximately 10.5 microns.

9. A process according to claim 1 , wherein both said first set of subranges and said second set of subranges include wavelengths of approximately 8.4 to approximately 10.5 microns;

wherein said first set of subranges includes approximately 7.6 to approximately 8.4 microns; and

wherein said second set of subranges includes approximately 6.7 to approximately 7.6 microns.

10. A process according to any one of claims 4 to 9 , further comprising:

preprocessing at least one of said subranges by replacing each spectral value with each of the spectral value's second derivative and applying a window width of approximately 0.3 microns to said first subrange.

11. A process according to any one of claims 4 to 9 , further comprising:

preprocessing said second subrange by replacing each spectral value with each of the spectral value's second derivative and applying a window width of approximately 0.5 microns.

12. A process for determining whether tissue is precancer or non-precancer, comprising:

obtaining a spectrum from a tissue at a first subrange of between three and five diagnostic wavelengths selected from the group consisting of:

9.7 microns;

9.1 microns;

5.7 microns;

8.7 microns;

8.2 microns; and

a second subrange of between 5.6 microns to 5.9 microns;

classifying said tissue as precancer or non-precancer using said wavelengths and said second subrange; and

wherein said obtaining step is performed using a device selected from the group consisting of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer using broad band light, and a spectrometer using a light source selected from the group consisting of multiple narrowband light sources and at least one tunable narrowband light source.

13. A process for determining whether tissue is precancer or non-precancer, comprising:

obtaining a spectrum from said a tissue at a first subrange of wavelengths consisting of:

9.7 microns;

9.1 microns; and

5.7 microns; and

a second subrange of between 5.6 microns to 5.9 microns;

classifying said tissue as precancer or non-precancer using said wavelengths and said second subrange; and

wherein said obtaining step is performed using a device selected from the group consisting of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer using broad band light, and a spectrometer using a light source selected from the group consisting of multiple narrowband light sources and at least one tunable narrowband light source.

14. A process for determining whether tissue is precancer or non-precancer, comprising:

obtaining a spectrum from a tissue at a first subrange of wavelengths consisting of:

9.7 microns;

9.1 microns;

5.7 microns;

8.7 microns; and

a second subrange of between 5.6 microns to 5.9 microns;

classifying said tissue as precancer or non-precancer using said wavelengths and said second subrange; and

wherein said obtaining step is performed using a device selected from the group consisting of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer using broad band light, and a spectrometer using a light source selected from the group consisting of multiple narrowband light sources and at least one tunable narrowband light source.

15. A process for determining whether tissue is precancer or non-precancer, comprising:

obtaining a spectrum from a tissue at a first subrange of wavelengths consisting of:

9.7 microns;

9.1 microns;

5.7 microns;

8.7 microns;

8.2 microns; and

a second subrange of between 5.6 microns to 5.9 microns;

classifying said tissue as precancer or non-precancer using said wavelengths and said second subrange; and

wherein said obtaining step is performed using a device selected from the group consisting of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer using broad band light, and a spectrometer using a light source selected from the group consisting of multiple narrowband light sources and at least one tunable narrowband light source.