Relating to scanning confocal microscopy

An assembly for use with a scanning confocal microscope system having confocal scanning head and a microscope, the microscope system having a light path extending from the confocal scanning head to the microscope, wherein said light path can pass through the assembly between a confocal scanning head side of the assembly and a microscope side of the assembly, the assembly being for inputting a light beam into said light path to illuminate a selected region of a sample mounted in the microscope, wherein the assembly comprises:

• a light input for receiving a light beam from a light source;
• a beam directing arrangement for controlling the path of the light beam within the assembly with reference to the shape of the selected region of the sample;
• a beam coupler for selectively coupling the light beam into the light path from the confocal scanning head to the microscope downstream of the beam directing arrangement, with the beam direction being controlled by the beam directing arrangement so as to illuminate the selected region;
• and
• an optical relay on said light path within the assembly to relay a sample image formed on the light path between the confocal scanning head and the microscope from the microscope side of the assembly to the scanning confocal head side of the assembly.