Bioimaging system using acousto-optic tunable filter

Abstract

The interaction of light with tissue has ben used to recognize disease since the mid-1800s. The recent developments of light sources, detectors, and fiber optic probes provide opportunities to measure these interactions, which yield information for tissue diagnosis at the biochemical, structural, or physiological level. In this paper, we describe a bioimaging system designed for biomedical applications and show laser-indued fluorescence (LIF) images mammalian brain tissue. The LIF imaging of tissue was carried out in vitro using two laser excitations: 488 nm and 514 nm. Images were recorded through an acousto- optic tunable filter over the range 500 nm-650 nm with a charged coupled device camera. Background subtracted images were generated across the fluorescent wavelength. Subtraction allowed a safe comparison to be made with well- contrasted images. Of the two tested excitation wavelengths, 488 nm excitation gave the more distinctive contrast.