Since 2000, light scattering systems have been used for biomedical applications such as the study of cellular morphology as well as the diagnosis of dysplasia. Variations in scattering distributions as a function of angle or wavelength have been used to deduce information regarding the size of cells and subcellular objects such as nuclei and organelles. These size measurements can then be used diagnostically to detect tissue changes—including neoplastic changes (those leading to cancer).
Light scattering spectroscopy has been used to detect dysplasia in the colon, bladder, cervix, and esophagus of human patients. Light scattering has also been used to detect Barrett's esophagus, a metaplastic condition with a high probability of leading to dysplasia.
However, in contrast with a/LCI, these techniques all rely on total intensity based measurements, which lack the ability to provide results as a function of depth in the tissue.