US Patent 7130043 Laser scanning microscope and indicator discriminating method

A laser beam is scanned on a sample while a wavelength of the laser beam is varied. Quantity of fluorescence from the sample is detected. Absorption wavelength spectral characteristic data of fluorescence indicators whose kinds are known and which dye the sample is acquired. The absorption wavelength spectral characteristic data of a site to be discriminated is compared with the absorption wavelength spectral characteristic data of each of the fluorescence indicators of known kinds. The kind of fluorescence indicator dyeing the site to be discriminated is discriminated from a result of the comparison.