High-resolution three-dimensional scanning optical image system for intrinsic and extrinsic contrast agents in tissue

Abstract

This article presents the theory and development of a three-dimensional (3D) imaging instrument capable of determining the biochemical properties of tissue by measuring the absorption or fluorescence of different intrinsic and extrinsic agents simultaneously. A bifurcated optical fiber bundle, serving to deliver the excitation light and collect the emission or reflection light, scans over the flat tissue surface retrieving optical signals in each pixel. Two-dimensional (2D) images of a series of subsequent sections are obtained after signal conversion and processing to yield a 3D image. Manipulation of the scanning step and diameter size of the fibers within the bundle, the spatial resolution of the instrument attains a maximum of 40 × 40 × 10 μm3. The wavelength range is extended from ultraviolet to the near infrared (NIR) through specialized optical design, typically employed for the NIR extrinsic contrast agents study. The instrument is most applicable in situations involving the measurement of fluorescence or absorption at any specific wavelength within the spectrum range. Flavoprotein and nicotinamide adeine dinucleotide are the two typical intrinsic agents indicating the oxidization and reduction status of the tissue sample, with their fluorescence detected at wavelengths of 540 and 440 nm, respectively. Oxy and deoxy hemoglobin are two other significant intrinsic agents for evaluating the blood oxygenation saturation by recording their absorptions at two different wavelengths of 577 and 546 nm. These intrinsic agents were measured in this study for comparison of biochemical properties of rat liver in different gas inhalation treatments. Indocyanine green, a NIR extrinsic contrast agent measured at wavelengths of 780 nm/830 nm as excitation/emission can indicate blood pooling by displaying the distribution of blood vessels within a 9 L tumor. The advantage of high sensitivity, spatial resolution, and broad applied potentiality were demonstrated by the instrument during these experiments.