Approaches to spectral imaging hardware

Area of Science:

• Biosciences
• Medical Imaging
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Spectral, multispectral, and hyperspectral imaging instruments have advanced significantly in biosciences over 15 years.
• Few of these advanced spectral imaging systems are calibrated or validated to universal standards.
• Increasing use in clinical and pathology settings necessitates standardized calibration and validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the growing need for calibration and validation of spectral imaging systems in clinical and pathology labs.
• To compare the characteristics and operational principles of different spectral imaging instrument types.
• To provide methods for testing instrument performance and managing spectral artifacts.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of band-pass and light-transmission characteristics of electronic tunable filters, interferometers, and wavelength-dispersive systems.
• Description of operational principles for various spectral imaging instrument types.
• Methods for testing wavelength accuracy and performing radiometric calibration, including artifact analysis.

Main Results:

• Detailed comparison of spectral imaging technologies.
• Established methods for wavelength accuracy testing and radiometric calibration.
• A case study demonstrating detection, diagnosis, and mitigation of spectral artifacts.

Conclusions:

• Standardized calibration and validation are crucial for reliable spectral imaging in biosciences.
• Understanding instrument characteristics and potential artifacts is key to data integrity.
• The described methods support the accurate and dependable application of spectral imaging in clinical settings.