title: Video-rate imaging of microcirculation with single-exposure oblique back-illumination microscopy.
abstract: Oblique back-illumination microscopy (OBM) is a new technique for simultaneous, independent measurements of phase gradients and absorption in thick scattering tissues based on widefield imaging. To date, OBM has been used with sequential camera exposures, which reduces temporal resolution, and can produce motion artifacts in dynamic samples. Here, a variation of OBM that allows single-exposure operation with wavelength multiplexing and image splitting with a Wollaston prism is introduced. Asymmetric anamorphic distortion induced by the prism is characterized and corrected in real time using a graphics-processing unit. To demonstrate the capacity of single-exposure OBM to perform artifact-free imaging of blood flow, video-rate movies of microcirculation in ovo in the chorioallantoic membrane of the developing chick are presented. Imaging is performed with a high-resolution rigid Hopkins lens suitable for endoscopy.
authors.affiliation: Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. timford@bu.edu
authors.forename: Tim N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mertz
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D002642:Chick Embryo; D049033:Chorioallantoic Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D003196:Computer Graphics; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D008027:Light; D008029:Lighting; D008833:Microcirculation; D018715:Microscopy, Video / Q000379:methods*; D009038:Motion; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000379:methods; D012984:Software; D013997:Time Factors