Compact high-resolution endomicroscopy based on fiber bundles and image stitching

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Optical Imaging
• Microscopy

Background:

• Fiber-bundle endomicroscopes offer compactness but suffer from limited resolution due to fiber diameter.
• Existing systems often compromise imaging quality for reduced size.
• Improving resolution in compact endomicroscopes is crucial for advanced in-vivo imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a compact endomicroscope with enhanced imaging resolution and speed.
• To overcome the inherent resolution limitations of fiber-bundle imaging.
• To demonstrate improved performance on biological samples.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a two-axis piezoelectric tube scanner at the fiber bundle tip.
• Rapid scanning of the fiber tip over ±2.5 µm to sample inter-fiber locations.
• Application of direct alignment and feature-based registration for image reconstruction.

Main Results:

• Achieved a resolution of approximately 1 µm.
• Demonstrated imaging speeds ranging from 30 to 120 frames per second.
• Successfully enhanced imaging quality compared to conventional fiber-bundle endomicroscopes.

Conclusions:

• The developed compact endomicroscope significantly improves resolution and imaging speed.
• Piezoelectric scanning effectively retrieves lost information in fiber-bundle systems.
• This technology holds promise for advanced minimally invasive diagnostic and research applications.