US 8,897,858 B2 · System and method useful for sarcomere imaging via objective-based microscopy

Abstract

Biological tissue such as skeletal and cardiac muscle can be imaged by using an objective-based probe in the tissue and scanning at a sufficiently fast rate to mitigate motion artifacts due to physiological motion. According to one example embodiment, such a probe is part of a system that is capable of reverse-direction high-resolution imaging without needing to stain or otherwise introduce a foreign element used to generate or otherwise increase the sensed light. The probe can include a light generator for generating light pulses that are directed towards structures located within the thick tissue. The system can additionally include aspects that lessen adverse image-quality degradation. Further, the system can additionally be constructed as a hand-held device.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method for imaging an aspect of biological tissue including muscle via a light-delivering optical probe in the biological tissue, the method comprising:

using an objective during focal plane changes to focus the objective in the probe on the biological tissue while lessening adverse image-quality degradation;
using the optical probe to
send light pulses toward structure in the biological tissue at a sufficiently fast line-resolution rate to mitigate motion artifacts due to physiological motion,
cause, in response to the light pulses, signals to be generated from and across a sufficient portion of the structure to span a sarcomere length,
collect select ones of the generated signals that are predominantly present due to properties intrinsic to the structure;
and
providing data in response to the collected signals for high-resolution imaging of said portion of the tissue structure.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method useful for sarcomere imaging via objective-based microscopy

Life of this patent

System and method useful for sarcomere imaging via objective-based microscopy

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28