Application of acousto-optic tunable filters in the devices of skin cancer diagnostics

Multispectral processing of images provides decreasing of information losses regarding spectral composition of an image. This method application produces the reflection spectrum of the observed object in each its point. It is especially efficient if an imaging acousto-optic tunable filter is used as a diffraction element of the processing system. We have proposed to use the multispectral processing of skin lesions images in order to find the possible signs of malignancies of patient’s skin. Multispectral processing method provides the visualization of the reflection patterns of the skin lesions, and the patterns at wavelengths which are inherent to the reflection from the malignancies, will show haw the certain kind of malignancy is spatially distributed inside the skin lesion to be studied. The preliminary investigations must be performed in order to determine the specific light wavelengths which are characteristic reflection wavelengths for different kinds of malignancies. The selection of spatial areas where the malignancy is found and detecting the places not occupied by the malignancy is very useful for successful treatment. The functional circuit of the device providing the multispectral processing of skin lesions images, has been presented and discussed. Keywords: multispectral processing, malignancies, skin lesions, information productivity, acousto-optic tunable filter, fine wavelength tuning