A system for detection of optically anisotropic tissue is provided. The system comprises an optical source, an optical detector, a processing unit and a probe. The probe has a shaft with a longitudinal axis and a front end, and a plurality of optical fibers； wherein an end of each of the optical fibers is arranged at the front end of the shaft, and at least one of the optical fibers is a source optical fiber adapted to transmit optical radiation emitted from the optical source to a tissue adjacent to the front end of the shaft. Another one of the optical fibers is a detector optical fiber adapted to transmit optical radiation reflected from the tissue to the optical detector, so that an optical path through the tissue is defined, wherein the optical paths differ from each other with respect to their spatial orientation, and wherein the optical paths cross each other. The processor is configured to control the optical source to emit optical radiation, to receive a signal generated by the optical detector based on the optical radiation reflected by the tissue, to determine a plurality of optical spectra of the reflected optical radiation based on the received signal, wherein the optical spectra are obtained of the same location from at least two different directions, wherein the measurement of the optical spectra is performed either simultaneously or sequentially, and to compare the plurality of optical spectra, wherein the optical spectra relate to optical radiation of the different optical paths thus allowing the detection of anisotropic tissue using differences between the optical spectra.
