The trained eye of a medical expert can use the finest details to make an accurate diagnosis…but imagine what else might be tapped through multispectral imaging. The SPECTROCAM provides video-rate imaging on a large or small scale in the narrow-band visible, NIR / SWIR (Near-InfraRed, Short Wave InfraRed), and UV (UltraViolet) wavelengths to reveal more – like fluorescence, spectral signatures & optical markers, and subcutaneous features.

Fluorescence

Fluorescence imaging and sensing has many practical applications including biological detectors, immunofluorescence, microscopy, labeling, chemical sensors, and whole animal / tissue imaging. Fluorophores are commonly attached to other molecules such as antibodies, proteins, amino acids and peptides and used as probes to label a specific target. These fluorescent probes are then detected using a plate reader, small animal imaging system, fluorescence microscope, flow cytometer, or other fluorescence-reading instrument.

A fluorophore absorbs light at its excitation wavelength, and typically emits light at a longer wavelength. Fluorophores or reactive fluorescent dyes are available from many sources to fit your application – with various reactive groups to attach to different functional groups within the target molecules. For the table of common fluorophores below, PIXELTEQ provides filters that selectively transmit the emitted wavelength and block the excitation wavelength – creating improved contrast for both sensing and imaging these fluorophores.
OEM filters for other fluorophores, spectral specs, production quantities, shapes, and custom optics are also available. Request a consultation or quote now.

Tissue

Label-free tissue sensing and imaging avoids the need for labels commonly required in fluorescence and other techniques – providing practical, economic and technical advantages in many applications.  Various states of tissue frequently have different spectral characteristics.

A common example is measuring the oxygenation level of hemoglobin – which can be saturated with oxygen molecules (oxyhemoglobin or “oxy”) or desaturated (deoxyhemoglobin or “deoxy”).  The trailing spectra shows the difference between oxy and deoxy in the near infrared (NIR) region.  Numerous medical devices and instruments evaluate results at multiple wavelengths to provide measurement and feedback on oxygenation levels.

Staining is another frequently used method both in vivo and in vitro to highlight structures in biological tissues – such as classifying cell populations, and defining muscle fibers or cytological structure.  Biological staining is also used to flag proteins or nucleic acids and to mark cells in flow cytometry.

Clinical – Indocyanine Green

Clinical multispectral applications are rapidly growing, using Indocyanine Green (ICG) as a fluorophore that is FDA approved and administered orally to humans and research animals.  A current application is visualization of blood flow within the retina, with clinical use expanding into other areas where monitoring circulation is useful.

Other emerging applications:

• Blood vessel imaging during or after surgery
• Hepatic function studies
• Wound healing
• Perfusion after transplantation or amputation
• Angiograms tracking blood flow within the heart

We can provide standard ICG emission filters, OEM filters for ICG and other fluorophores, spectral specs, production quantities, shapes, and custom optics are also available. Application-specific sensors and cameras can overlay visible, ICG, and/or other near-infrared spectral bands.  Request a consultation or quote now.