phiFLIM: a new method to avoid aliasing in frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

In conventional wide-field frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), excitation light is intensity-modulated at megahertz frequencies. Emitted fluorescence is recorded by a CCD camera through an image intensifier, which is modulated at the same frequency. From images recorded at various phase differences between excitation and intensifier gain modulation, the phase and modulation depth of the emitted light is obtained. The fluorescence lifetime is determined from the delay and the decrease in modulation depth of the emission relative to the excitation. A minimum of three images is required, but in this case measurements become susceptible to aliasing caused by the presence of higher harmonics. Taking more images to avoid this is not always possible owing to phototoxicity or movement. A method is introduced, phiFLIM, requiring only three recordings that is not susceptible to aliasing. The phase difference between the excitation and the intensifier is scanned over the entire 360 degrees range following a predefined phase profile, during which the image produced by the intensifier is integrated onto the CCD camera, yielding a single image. Three different images are produced following this procedure, each with a different phase profile. Measurements were performed with a conventional wide-field frequency-domain FLIM system based on an acousto-optic modulator for modulation of the excitation and a microchannel-plate image intensifier coupled to a CCD camera for the detection. By analysis of the harmonic content of measured signals it was found that the third harmonic was effectively the highest present. Using the conventional method with three recordings, phase errors due to aliasing of up to +/- 29 degrees and modulation depth errors of up to 30% were found. Errors in lifetimes of YFP-transfected HeLa cells were as high as 100%. With phiFLIM, using the same specimen and settings, systematic errors due to aliasing did not occur.