Two and three-dimensional near infrared subcutaneous structure imager using realtime nonlinear video processing

A method of imaging a structure within a sample, the method comprising:

• placing an imaging device and an illuminator in proximity to the sample such that radiation originating from the illuminator has a propagation path to a surface of the sample;
• irradiating the sample via the illuminator such that at least a portion of the radiation scatters off of the structure towards the imaging device;
• providing the scattered radiation to a detector of the imaging device to generate a digital video signal;
• determining, via a processor communicably coupled to the imaging device, a black state value for the digital video signal;
• subtract, via the processor, a sum of the black state value and a user-defined black level clamp value from the digital video signal to create a subtracted digital video signal;
• setting, via the processor, negative values in the subtracted digital video signal to a reference level to create modified image data;
• amplifying, via the processor, the modified image data by a user-defined gain to create contrast enhanced image data;
• and
• displaying, via a display device, the contrast enhanced image data to provide an image of the structure.