Using Fourier ptychography microscopy to achieve high-resolution chromosome imaging: an initial evaluation

Area of Science:

• Microscopy and Imaging Technologies
• Cell Biology and Genetics
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Accurate diagnosis and treatment of leukemia rely on analyzing metaphase chromosomes.
• Conventional microscopy faces limitations in achieving both high resolution and a large field of view (FOV) simultaneously, hindering diagnostic efficiency.
• Fourier ptychography microscopy (FPM) presents a promising technological solution to overcome these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using FPM for reconstructing high-resolution chromosome images.
• To evaluate the performance of an FPM system in chromosome imaging compared to conventional microscopy.

Main Methods:

• Developed an experimental FPM prototype with 4×/0.1 NA and 10×/0.25 NA objective lenses.
• Assessed system resolving power using modulation transfer function (MTF) curves.
• Imaged metaphase chromosomes from leukemia patient peripheral blood samples and compared feature qualities with conventional microscopes.

Main Results:

• The 4×/0.1 NA FPM system demonstrated resolving power comparable to a 20×/0.4 NA conventional microscope.
• The 10×/0.25 NA FPM system showed performance close to a 60×/0.95 NA conventional microscope.
• Chromosome imaging revealed comparable feature qualities with the 4×/0.1 NA FPM and 20×/0.4 NA conventional lens, while the 10×/0.25 NA FPM outperformed the 60×/0.95 NA conventional lens and matched a 100×/1.25 NA lens.

Conclusions:

• This study confirms the feasibility of using FPM to develop a high-resolution, wide-field chromosome sample scanner.
• FPM technology offers a significant advancement for efficient and detailed chromosome analysis in leukemia diagnostics.