Whole-field fluorescence lifetime imaging with picosecond resolution using ultrafast 10-kHz solid-state amplifier technology

Author

Dowling, Keith ; Dayel, Mark J. ; Hyde, Sam C W ; Dainty, J.C. ; French, Paul M W ; Vourdas, Periklis ; Lever, M. John ; Dymoke-Bradshaw, Anthony K L ; Hares, Jonathon D. ; Kellett, Paul A.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys., Imperial Coll. of Sci., Technol. & Med., London, UK

Volume

4

Issue

2

fYear

1998

Firstpage

370

Lastpage

375

Abstract

We report the development of a high temporal resolution whole-field fluorescence lifetime imaging system based on an ultrafast solid-state laser system and a time-gated image intensifier operating at up to 10 kHz. The temporal instrument response is ~110 ps and we have imaged (environmentally perturbed) differences in fluorescence lifetime as small as 20 ps. Fluorophores exhibiting single- or double-exponential fluorescence decay profiles are routinely imaged and a near real-time update time of 3 s for the fluorescence lifetime map has been demonstrated using a modest personal computer. We also present provisional fluorescence lifetime images of tissue constituents. This fluorescence lifetime imaging technology is applicable to almost any optical instrument configuration and, when coupled with existing all-solid-state diode-pumped ultrafast laser technology, may yield a potentially inexpensive instrument for in vitro and in vivo biomedical imaging

Keywords

biomedical imaging; fluorescence; high-speed optical techniques; image resolution; laser applications in medicine; medical computing; optical pumping; solid lasers; 110 ps; 3 fs; 3 s; all-solid-state diode-pumped ultrafast laser technology; double-exponential fluorescence decay profiles; environmentally perturbed; fluorescence lifetime; fluorescence lifetime map; fluorophores; high temporal resolution whole-field fluorescence lifetime imaging system; in vitro biomedical imaging; in vivo biomedical imaging; near real-time update time; optical instrument configuration; picosecond resolution; temporal instrument response; time-gated image intensifier; ultrafast kHz solid-state amplifier technology; ultrafast solid-state laser system; whole-field fluorescence lifetime imaging; Biomedical imaging; Biomedical optical imaging; Fluorescence; High-resolution imaging; Image intensifiers; Image resolution; Instruments; Microcomputers; Optical imaging; Solid lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2944.686744

Filename

686744