Design and Performance of a Multi-Point Scan Confocal Microendoscope

Author： Risi Matthew D. Makhlouf Houssine Rouse Andrew R. Tanbakuchi Anthony A. Gmitro Arthur F.

Publisher： MDPI

E-ISSN： 2304-6732|1|4|421-431

ISSN： 2304-6732

Source： Photonics, Vol.1, Iss.4, 2014-11, pp. : 421-431

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Abstract

Confocal fluorescence microendoscopy provides high-resolution cellular-level imaging via a minimally invasive procedure, but requires fast scanning to achieve real-time imaging in vivo. Ideal confocal imaging performance is obtained with a point scanning system, but the scan rates required for in vivo biomedical imaging can be difficult to achieve. By scanning a line of illumination in one direction in conjunction with a stationary confocal slit aperture, very high image acquisition speeds can be achieved, but at the cost of a reduction in image quality. Here, the design, implementation, and experimental verification of a custom multi-point aperture modification to a line-scanning multi-spectral confocal microendoscope is presented. This new design improves the axial resolution of a line-scan system while maintaining high imaging rates. In addition, compared to the line-scanning configuration, previously reported simulations predicted that the multi-point aperture geometry greatly reduces the effects of tissue scatter on image quality. Experimental results confirming this prediction are presented.