Volumetric Imaging

Abstract

An apparatus for volumetric imaging is provided. The apparatus comprises an illumination assembly arranged to direct light to illuminate a plurality of planes in a sample region sequentially at an illumination rate, each plane extending over a plurality of depths in the sample region; an image sensor comprising a plurality of sections of pixels and arranged to sense each section of pixels sequentially at a sensing rate; and a light-receiving assembly arranged to receive light from the sample region and to direct light received from each of said planes in the sample region to a different respective section of said sections of pixels. The light-receiving assembly comprises a multi-plane optical assembly arranged to receive light from the plurality of depths in the sample region and, for each section of said sections of pixels, to direct light simultaneously from each of the plurality of depths in the respective plane to a different respective subsection of said section. The illumination rate is equal to the sensing rate, such that each section of pixels is arranged to sense light from the plurality of depths in the respective plane as the plane is illuminated by the illumination assembly.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.