title: Gelatin embedding: a novel way to preserve biological samples for terahertz imaging and spectroscopy.
abstract: Sample dehydration has traditionally been a challenging problem in ex vivo terahertz biomedical experiments as water content changes significantly affect the terahertz properties and can diminish important contrast features. In this paper, we propose a novel method to prevent sample dehydration using gelatin embedding. By looking at terahertz image data and calculating the optical properties of the gelatin-embedded sample, we find that our method successfully preserves the sample for at least 35 h, both for imaging and spectroscopy. Our novel preservation method demonstrates for the first time the capability to simultaneously maintain sample structural integrity and prevent dehydration at room temperature. This is particularly relevant for terahertz studies of freshly excised tissues but could be beneficial for other imaging and spectroscopy techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shuting
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ung
authors.forename: Edward P J
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Parrott
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pickwell-MacPherson
mesh_terms: D065638:Absorption, Radiation; D000818:Animals; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods; D013552:Swine; D055069:Terahertz Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D016610:Tissue Embedding / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005780:Gelatin