Hybrid wide-field and scanning microscopy for high-speed 3D imaging

Wide-field optical microscopy is efficient and robust in biological imaging, but it lacks depth sectioning. In contrast, scanning microscopic techniques, such as confocal microscopy and multiphoton microscopy, have been successfully used for three-dimensional (3D) imaging with optical sectioning capability. However, these microscopic techniques are not very suitable for dynamic real-time imaging because they usually take a long time for temporal and spatial scanning. Here, a hybrid imaging technique combining wide-field microscopy and scanning microscopy is proposed to accelerate the image acquisition process while maintaining the 3D optical sectioning capability. The performance was demonstrated by proof-of-concept imaging experiments with fluorescent beads and zebrafish liver.