Fiber optic probe for region of interest (ROI) selective time averaged multi-fluorescence imaging

Abstract

Time averaged imaging is one of the widely used methods to achieve improved image quality, used in different types of microscopic methods. Time averaged imaging refers to adjusting the exposure time of the imaging system to obtain optimal images. In state of the art microscopes, the region of interest (ROI) of illumination beam for time averaged imaging can be selected to be of regular shapes such as circle or rectangle. This forces smallest possible ROI to be larger than the actual sample’s ROI which can be of a specific shape with complex contours. In this context, we present a flexible fiber bundle based illumination probe capable of illuminating samples of irregular shapes for time averaged imaging. Further, this probe is capable of multi-wavelength illumination, hence can be used for multi-fluorescence imaging. The fiber probe with features such as region selective and multi- wavelength illumination allows it to be used for optimal imaging of multi-fluorescence sample.