Combined spectrally encoded confocal microscopy and optical frequency domain imaging system

Abstract

Spectrally encoded confocal microscopy (SECM) and optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) are two reflectancebased imaging technologies that may be utilized for high-resolution microscopic screening of internal organs. SECM provides en face images of tissues with a high lateral resolution of 1-2 μm, and a penetration depth of up to 300 μm. OFDI generates cross-sectional images of tissue architecture with a resolution of 10-20 μm and a penetration depth of 1- 2 mm. Since the two technologies yield complementary microscopic information on two different size scales (SECM-cellular and OFDI-architectural) that are commonly used for histopathologic evaluation, their combination may allow for more accurate optical diagnosis. Here, we report the integration of these two imaging modalities in a single bench top system. SECM images of swine small intestine showed the presence of goblet cells, and OFDI images revealed the finger-shaped villous architecture. In clinical study of 9 gastroesophageal biopsies from 8 patients, a diverse set of architectural and cellular features was observed, including squamous mucosa with mild hyperplasia and gastric antral mucosa with gastric pits and crypts. The capability of this multimodality device to enable the visualization of microscopic features on these two size scales supports our hypothesis that improved diagnostic accuracy may be obtained by merging these two technologies into a single instrument.