title: DIC image reconstruction using an energy minimization framework to visualize optical path length distribution.
abstract: Label-free microscopy techniques have numerous advantages such as low phototoxicity, simple setup and no need for fluorophores or other contrast materials. Despite their advantages, most label-free techniques cannot visualize specific cellular compartments or the location of proteins and the image formation limits quantitative evaluation. Differential interference contrast (DIC) is a qualitative microscopy technique that shows the optical path length differences within a specimen. We propose a variational framework for DIC image reconstruction. The proposed method largely outperforms state-of-the-art methods on synthetic, artificial and real tests and turns DIC microscopy into an automated high-content imaging tool. Image sets and the source code of the examined algorithms are made publicly available.
authors.affiliation: Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, BRC, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Krisztian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koos
authors.affiliation: Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, BRC, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: József
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Molnár
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biophysics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, BRC, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Lóránd
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kelemen
authors.affiliation: MTA-SZTE Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tamás
authors.affiliation: Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, BRC, Szeged, Hungary.|Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Horvath