# US 2019/0167094 A1 · Label-free contrast enhancement for translucent cell imaging by purposefully displacing the detector

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- Number: US 2019/0167094 A1
- Document ID: US20190167094A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/205,925
- Filed: 2018-11-30
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01
- Assignees: University of Rochester
- Inventors: Raul Andres Guevara-Torres; Jesse Schallek
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167094A1

## CPC

- A61B 3/1025: {for confocal scanning}
- A61B 3/12: for looking at the eye fundus, e.g. ophthalmoscopes (A61B3/13 takes precedence)
- A61B 3/1241: {specially adapted for observation of ocular blood flow, e.g. by fluorescein angiography}
- A61B 3/14: Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography
- A61B 2503/40: Animals
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A method for imaging vertebrate translucent retinal structures includes imaging a translucent retinal structure at a first imaging plane in the retina with a light source focused at such first imaging plane, and detecting reflected light with a non-confocal off-axis detector, wherein the detector is axially displaced from a plane conjugate to the first imaging plane to a plane conjugate to a reflective layer deeper in the retina along a path of illumination from the light source. The method may employ scanning ophthalmic instruments, and enables an enhancement in contrast and collected intensity by axially displacing the image detector away from the object of interest to positions closer to conjugate to layers of strong retinal reflection, like the photoreceptors or the interface between the choroid and the sclera, that act as a diffusive screen. This improvement was found using a model that describes the source of the contrast in offset aperture and split-detector ophthalmoscopy by emphasizing the role of cellular refractive index change within the plane of illumination.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for imaging vertebrate translucent retinal structures comprising:
imaging a translucent retinal structure at a first imaging plane in the retina with a light source focused at such first imaging plane, and
detecting reflected light with a non-confocal off-axis detector, wherein the detector is axially displaced from a plane conjugate to the first imaging plane to a plane conjugate to a reflective layer deeper in the retina along a path of illumination from the light source.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the non-confocal off-axis detector comprises an offset aperture detector or a split detector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the non-confocal off-axis detector comprises an offset aperture detector.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the non-confocal off-axis detector comprises a split detector.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the displacement of the detector from a plane conjugate to the first imaging plane to a plane conjugate to a reflective screen layer deeper in the retina increases contrast of a detected retinal structure image.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the light source is an imaging beam of a scanning light ophthalmoscope.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the light source is an imaging beam of an adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscope.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the retinal structure imaged is selected from ganglion cells, horizontal cells, photoreceptors, bipolar cells, amacrine cells, blood vessels, and blood cells.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the retinal structure imaged is in the ganglion cell layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the first imaging plane and retinal structure imaged is positioned between the vitreous and the photoreceptor layer, and wherein the detector is displaced from a plane conjugate to the first imaging plane to a plane conjugate to the photoreceptor layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the first imaging plane and retinal structure imaged is positioned between the vitreous and the photoreceptor layer, and wherein the detector is displaced from a plane conjugate to the first imaging plane to a plane conjugate to the interface between the choroid and the sclera.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the detector is axially displaced from a plane conjugate to the first imaging plane a distance beyond a depth of field of the light source focused at the first imaging plane.