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Miniature optical scanning laser microscopes designed to be used for endoscopic procedures. These microscopes obtain high-magnification (typically up to 1000x) cross-sectional (i.e., three dimensional) images by scanning tissue with a focused point of laser light, restricting the illumination to a tiny, targeted section of the specimen while eliminating out-of-focus light (i.e., confocal microscopy). The instruments typically include a miniature microscope (usually with a diameter of a few millimeters) and a fiberoptic cable; the system also includes an external image data processor, recorder, and display. These microscopes are used mainly to observe the structure of living normal and cancer cells, resulting in in vivo histological diagnosis without performing biopsies, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Endoscopic optical scanning microscopes may be separate components intended to be used through the working channel or as an integral part of video endoscopes.
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