| Abstract: |
A confocal reflectance theta line-scanner is being developed for imaging human tissues in vivo. The theta line scanner design potentially offers a newer alternative to current point scanners that may simplify the optics, electronics and mechanics and lead to smaller, inexpensive confocal microscopes. An oscillating galvanometric mirror directly scans in the pupil of a cylindrical lens and one-half of an objective lens, to produce a focused, scanned line in the object plane within tissue. Backscattered light is collected by the other half of the objective lens and focused onto a linear CMOS detector. The illumination is with a diode laser at 830 nm and imaging with a 10X, 0.8 NA water immersion lens. The illumination and detection paths are thus oriented at an angle (theta) to each other, and are separate everywhere except in the confocal plane. This configuration eliminates back-scattered light from optical components and enhances contrast. Optical design analysis has been verified with experimental results, demonstrating lateral resolution on the order of 1 um and optical sectioning (axial resolution) better than 5 um within living human skin. A Fourier optics-based analytical model is in progress to evaluate line spread functions versus illumination and detection pupil conditions. Nuclear and cellular detail is imaged in the epidermis of human skin in vivo and ex vivo (freshly excised specimens). Such a scanner may prove useful for imaging human tissues in clinical and intra-operative settings. |
