| Abstract: |
Confocal theta line-scanning with line detection offers a simpler method for imaging human tissues in vivo. Both scanning and de-scanning is required in only one dimension, which significantly simplifies the instrumentation. The microscope is simple and consist of only seven components with minimal assembly requirements. An oscillating galvanometric mirror directly scans the pupil of a cylindrical lens and one-half of an objective lens to produce a focused, scanned line in the object plane within the tissue. The theta configuration eliminates out-of-focus multiply back-scattered light from the tissue which, strongly enhances the contrast. The theta line scanning design offers a new alternative that may lead to a simpler, smaller and inexpensive confocal microscopes for clinical and biological imaging. |
