Characterization of atherosclerotic plaque components using multispectral fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

Abstract

We developed a high-precision multispectral fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) for label-free immune-histologic imaging of atherosclerotic plaques. With images of fluorescence lifetimes and intensity ratios between different channels, we could characterize various plaque components of coronary arteries that are related to immunohistochemistry results. Correlative FLIM-immunohistochemistry validation revealed significant associations between plaque components and multispectral FLIM parameters. The machine learning algorithm, trained with co-registered FLIM-immunohistochemistry datasets, allowed automated visualization of multiple atherosclerotic components from FLIM image of an unstained section. We anticipate that the multispectral FLIM can be widely used to assess biochemical components of various biological tissues, including atherosclerotic plaques.