Fiber-optic probes offer a minimally invasive approach for tissue biopsy by measuring optical absorption and scattering properties that reflect tissue composition and structure. This work investigates fiber-optic reflectometry devices designed to sample very small tissue volumes using backscattered light. Two complementary studies establish tools for probe evaluation: the fabrication of stable, optically characterized tissue phantoms, and a combined inverse adding-doubling/Monte Carlo model for accurately determining optical properties. A novel sized-fiber reflectometry probe is developed and validated experimentally and through simulation, demonstrating predictable sampling depth, high scattering sensitivity, and reduced measurement variability using beveled fibers. A clinical study further demonstrates the probe’s utility by accurately distinguishing oral melanotic lesions from amalgam tattoos based on spectral reflectance, highlighting the potential of fiber-optic techniques for optical diagnosis.
