A scanning laser laparoscope for laparoscopically locating and identifying anatomical structures embedded within fat during microinvasive surgery. In one example, such a scanning laser laparoscope is achieved using a combination of a light source and a scanner located outside the body and configured to generate a pattern of light, an optics relay configured to relay the pattern of light toward and through a tissue section located inside the body, and a photodetector configured to receive the light pattern transmitted through the tissue section and to generate an image of the tissue section.
