System and Method for Normalized Diffuse Emission Epi-illumination Imaging and Normalized Diffuse Emission Transillumination Imaging
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorVasilis Ntziachristos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method provide normalized fluorescence epi-illumination images and normalized fluorescence transillumination images. The normalization can be used to improve two-dimensional (planar) fluorescence epi-illumination images and two-dimensional (planar) fluorescence transillumination images. The system and method can also provide normalized bioluminescence epi-illumination images and normalized bioluminescence transillumination images. In some arrangements, the system and method can provide imaging of small animals, intro-operative imaging, endoscopic imaging, and/or imaging of hollow organs.
Claims31
A method of imaging, comprising:
- generating incident light including excitation light with an excitation light source, wherein the excitation light source comprises an epi-illumination light source;
- directing the incident light toward a tissue;
- receiving the incident light with a light detector after the incident light has interacted with a tissue;
- receiving emitted light with the light detector, wherein the emitted light is emitted from the tissue;
- generating an intrinsic image of the tissue in response to the received incident light;
- generating an un-normalized emitted light image of the tissue in response to the received emitted light;
- and
- combining the un-normalized emitted light image and the intrinsic image to generate a normalized emitted light image of the tissue.
2-42. (canceled)
A system for imaging a tissue, the system comprising:
- an excitation light source adapted to generate incident light including excitation light, wherein the excitation light source comprises an epi-illumination light source;
- a light detector adapted to receive the incident light after the incident light has interacted with the tissue, the light detector further adapted to receive emitted light, wherein the emitted light is emitted from the tissue;
- and
- one or more processors adapted to:
- (i) generate an intrinsic image of the tissue in response to the received incident light;
- (ii) generate an un-normalized emitted light image of the tissue in response to the received emitted light;
- and
- (iii) combine the un-normalized emitted light image and the intrinsic image to generate a normalized emitted light image associated with the tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.