Method and device for selectively targeting cells within a three-dimensional specimen

A method for electromagnetically affecting a particle of interest in a specimen, comprising the steps of

• (a) obtaining a plurality of nonidentical two-dimensional sectional representations of the specimen in which the particle of interest is discernable in at least one of the sectional representations;
• (b) combining the plurality of sectional two-dimensional representations to produce a three-dimensional representation of the specimen;
• (c) locating the particle of interest in three dimensions based on the three-dimensional representation;
• and
• (d) focusing electromagnetic radiation to a focal volume, the focal volume intersecting a portion of the specimen containing the particle of interest, wherein the radiation within the focal volume substantially affects only the portion of the specimen within the focal volume, the portion of the specimen within the focal volume being surrounded by an envelope of substantially unaffected specimen.

A method for electromagnetically affecting a particle of interest in a specimen, comprising the steps of:

• (a) focusing a plurality of detectors on a plurality of focal planar regions in a specimen;
• (b) obtaining a plurality of two-dimensional sectional representations each corresponding to one of the focal planar regions, wherein a particle of interest can be discerned in at least one of the two-dimensional sectional representations;
• (c) storing the plurality of two-dimensional sectional representations in a computer memory;
• (d) combining the plurality of two-dimensional sectional representations to produce a three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of the specimen;
• (e) locating the particle of interest in the specimen based on the three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of the specimen;
• and
• (f) focusing electromagnetic radiation to a focal volume, the focal volume intersecting a portion of the specimen containing the particle of interest, wherein the radiation within the focal volume substantially affects only the portion of the specimen within the focal volume, the portion of the specimen within the focal volume being surrounded by an envelope of substantially unaffected specimen.

A method for electromagnetically affecting a particle of interest in a specimen, comprising the steps of:

• (a) obtaining a plurality of two-dimensional sectional representations of the specimen at different Z-levels, wherein the particle of interest is discernable in at least one of the sectional representations;
• (b) selecting a two-dimensional sectional representation from the plurality of two-dimensional sectional representations wherein the particle of interest is in focus;
• (c) locating the particle of interest in the specimen with reference to X and Y coordinates of the particle in the selected two-dimensional sectional representation and the Z-level of the selected two-dimensional sectional representation;
• and
• (d) focusing electromagnetic radiation to a focal volume, the focal volume intersecting a portion of the specimen containing the particle of interest, wherein the radiation within the focal volume substantially affects only the portion of the specimen within the focal volume, the portion of the specimen within the focal volume being surrounded by an envelope of substantially unaffected specimen.