Dealiased spectral images from aliased Fizeau Fourier transform spectroscopy measurements

Fizeau Fourier transform imaging spectroscopy (FTIS) is a technique for collecting both spatial and spectral information about an object with a Fizeau imaging interferometer and postprocessing. The technique possesses unconventional imaging properties due to the fact that the system transfer functions, including the imaging and spectral postprocessing operations, are given by cross correlations between subapertures of the optical system, in comparison with the conventional optical transfer function, which is given by the autocorrelation of the entire aperture of the system. The unconventional imaging properties of Fizeau FTIS can be exploited to form spatially dealiased spectral images from undersampled intensity measurements (obtain superresolution relative to the detector pixel spacing). We demonstrate this dealiasing technique through computer simulations and discuss the associated design and operational trade-offs.     

Validation of the Infrared Emittance Characterization of Materials Through Intercomparison of Direct and Indirect Methods

A comparison of the spectral directional emittance of samples as a function of wavelength was performed at the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry (FTIS) and the Advanced Infrared Radiometry and Imaging (AIRI) facilities at NIST. At the FTIS, the emittance is obtained indirectly through the measurement of near-normal directional-hemispherical reflectance (DHR) using an infrared integrating sphere. At the AIRI, the normal directional emittance is obtained directly through the measurement of the sample spectral radiance referenced to that from blackbody sources, while the sample is located behind a black plate of known temperature and emittance. On the same setup at the AIRI, the normal emittance at near ambient temperatures is also measured indirectly by a “two-temperature” method in which the sample spectral radiance is measured while the background temperature is controlled and varied. The sample emittance measurements on the comparison samples are presented over a wavelength range of 3.4 μm to 13.5 μm at several near-ambient temperatures and for near-normal incidence. The results obtained validate the two independent capabilities and demonstrate the potential of the controlled background methods for measurements of the radiative properties of IR materials.     

肿瘤干细胞活体示踪的分子影像学研究进展

肿瘤干细胞(Cancer Stem Cell,CSCs)是肿瘤细胞中具有自我更新和多向分化能力的细胞,与肿瘤的发生、增殖、转移和耐药等生物学行为关系密切,CSCs的活体示踪对于实时监测CSCs在体内的生物学行为具有重要意义。目前常见CSCs活体示踪的分子影像学方法包括:超声成像、核磁共振成像(Magnetic Resonance Imaging,MRI)、光学成像、核医学成像(Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography,PET-CT)、光声成像、多模态成像。这些成像方法的发展对于CSCs的研究具有重大意义,对于CSCs的研究有助于临床诊断及治疗,有利于诊疗一体化进程的发展。文章就CSCs活体示踪的分子影像学研究进展进行了综述。     

光电子成像:回顾和展望

本文回顾半个世纪以来光电子成像 (包括微光成像和热成像 )的进展 .在微光成像技术方面 ,叙述了一代、二代和三代像增强技术、真空和固体微光摄像技术、光子成像计数技术的现状和发展 ;在热成像技术方面 ,叙述了致冷型一代、二代和三代热成像技术和非致冷型阵列热成像的现状和发展 .文中对新世纪的微光四代像增强技术、新型微光摄像技术和热成像技术的发展作了展望 .     

Biological imaging of HEK293 cells expressing PLCgamma1 using surface-enhanced Raman microscopy

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging has been used for the targeting and imaging of specific cancer markers in live cells. For this purpose, Au/Ag core-shell nanoparticles, conjugated with monoclonal antibodies, were prepared. The procedures to label live cells with those bimetallic nanoprobes have been developed and used for highly sensitive SERS imaging of live cells. In the present study, live HEK293 cells expressing PLCgamma1 have been used as the optical imaging target. Our results demonstrate the potential feasibility of SERS imaging technology for the highly sensitive imaging of cancer biomarkers in live cells.     

Non-destructive Imaging of Standard Cracks of Railway by Photoacoustic Piezoelectric Technology

The photoacoustic piezoelectric (PAPE) technique is an effective non-destructive testing technique for detecting defects in materials. In this paper, Chinese national standard railway cracks have been detected by thermal wave imaging based on the PAPE technique. First, the theory of the PAPE technique has been introduced and the corresponding imaging principle has been analyzed. Second, the corresponding experimental system has been setup, and the imaging tests have been carried out. Third, two kinds of standard cracks have been examined by the imaging system. The results show that thermal wave imaging based on the PAPE technique can effectively image and identify the cracks at different depths, which lays a foundation for practical application to the detection of rail cracks.     

Determination of attenuation-velocity products in a layered homogeneous medium

Attenuation imaging has the promise to become a measurement technique for ultrasound imaging systems more sophisticated than those we currently possess; however, the difficulties in using the presently available methods tend to limit this potential for the non-specialist. In our recent work, we have investigated the attenuation imaging problem, and have had some success with an alternative technique, namely, attenuation-velocity product imaging. In certain cases this can be an acceptable substitute for purely attenuation imaging, particularly for the soft tissues encountered in some diagnostic medical situations where the acoustic velocities of the various layers are all of approximately the same value. This article discusses our technique in detail, beginning with fundamental considerations. We make no unreasonable assumptions about the object under study, and yet are able to show the uniqueness of the solution and also deal effectively with the problem of multiple reflections. The data encountered in this experimental configuration have several intriguing properties, which allow us to draw some conclusions about acoustic imaging in general.     

基于太赫兹量子阱光电探测器的成像技术研究进展

太赫兹(THz)波对非极性材料有较好的穿透性,对生物医学组织无电离效应,因而非常适合无损检测、生物医学成像等应用。THz量子阱光电探测器(THz QWPs)具有响应速度快、响应率高、噪声等效功率低、体积小的特点。相较于其他探测器,THz QWPs作为成像系统接收器时,系统具有成像分辨率高、成像速度快、成像信噪比高、结构紧凑等优势。本文综述了基于THz QWPs的成像研究进展,并对成像系统核心指标的影响因素进行了分析和总结。采用更稳定的装置固定THz QWPs,提升器件响应速度、探测灵敏度、阵列规模,可以有效提升系统各项核心性能。     

Bioconjugated quantum dots as fluorescent probes for biomedical imaging

Luminescent semiconductor quantum dots have become an important class of fluorescent labels for biological and biomedical imaging. In comparison with conventional organic dyes and fluorescent proteins, quantum dots have extraordinary fluorescent properties including high brightness, high resistance to photobleaching and tunable wavelengths. In this review, we briefly discuss the properties and modification of quantum dots. We focus on the applications of quantum dots in biomedical imaging, including molecular detection, live cell imaging and in vivo imaging. The toxicity of the quantum dots to cells and animals is also discussed.     

中国照相感光材料工业呈上升趋势

数字图像处理网络化和影像市场全球化加快了国内感光材料工业的数码化进程，国内照相感光材料的生产产量和市场需求量有所扩大。本文叙述了2001--2007年国内照相感光材料工业上升的经营情况，照相材料产品结构继续调整和感光材料生产厂商不断推出消费类、医疗类和印刷类新影像产品等趋势。总之，数字影像产品已经成为国内照相器材市场的主流。     

从国际展览会看影像行业的发展

近几年来，数码影像的发展速度远远超出影像业界人士的预期。从几个影响力很大的国际影像展览会我们发现数码影像产品已经成为世界影像行业的主角，而传统影像产品逐渐变为配角。本文根据国际影像展览会的最新情况，宏观论述国际影像行业全方位数码化的发展趋势。     

Correlated imaging with partially coherent light for remote sensing

Based on the extended Huygens–Fresnel integral and the theory of coherence of light field, we have investigated the correlated imaging by using the transverse normalized second-order intensity fluctuation correlation function with partially coherent light radiation. The imaging for a reflected object with relative long distance is determined by the feature of speckle-to-speckle correlation. By using the correlation function, we study the effects of imaging distance, the sizes of object lens and reference lens, the source’s transverse coherent width and its transverse size on the quality of correlated imaging. Numerical results show that the parameters of imaging system and the properties of partially coherent light source have significant influences on the imaging resolution and visibility. For an object lens with large enough diameter, the resolution is determined by the transverse coherent width of light source. On the contrary, it depends on the aperture of object lens. The magnification of the system depends only on the propagation distance. This speckle-to-speckle correlated imaging with unbalanced arms have potential applications in remote sensing due to its unique features.     

Enhancement of the point-spread function for imaging in scattering media by use of polarization-difference imaging

Polarization-difference (PD) imaging techniques have been demonstrated to improve the detectability of target features that are embedded in scattering media. The improved detectability occurs for both passive imaging in moderately scattering media (<5 optical depths) and active imaging in more highly scattering media. These improvements are relative to what is possible with equivalent polarization-blind, polarization-sum (PS) imaging under the same conditions. In this investigation, the point-spread functions (PSF's) for passive PS and PD imaging in single-scattering media are studied analytically, and Monte Carlo simulations are used to study the PSF's in single- and moderately multiple-scattering media. The results indicate that the PD PSF can be significantly narrower than the corresponding PS PSF, implying that better images of target features with high-spatial-frequency information can be obtained by using differential polarimetry in scattering media. Although the analysis was performed for passive imaging at moderate optical depths, the results lend insight into experiments that have been performed in more highly scattering media with active imaging methods to help mitigate the effects of multiple scattering.     

Recent Advances in Higher‐Order,Multimodal, Biomedical Imaging Agents

Advances in biomedical imaging have spurred the development of integrated multimodal scanners, usually capable of two simultaneous imaging modes. The long‐term vision of higher‐order multimodality is to improve diagnostics or guidance through the analysis of complementary, data‐rich, co‐registered images. Synergies achieved through combined modalities could enable researchers to better track diverse physiological and structural events, analyze biodistribution and treatment efficacy, and compare established and emerging modalities. Higher‐order multimodal approaches stand to benefit from molecular imaging probes and, in recent years, contrast agents that have hypermodal characteristics have increasingly been reported in preclinical studies. Given the chemical requirements for contrast agents representing various modalities to be integrated into a single entity, the higher‐order multimodal agents reported so far tend to be of nanoparticulate form. To date, the majority of reported nanoparticles have included components that are active for magnetic resonance. Herein, recent progress in higher‐order multimodal imaging agents is reviewed, spanning a range of material and structural classes, and demonstrating utility in three (or more) imaging modalities.     

Multiple emulsion microbubbles for ultrasound imaging

In order to improve the sensitivity of ultrasound imaging, the contrast agents, a powerful non-invasive and real-time medical imaging technique, are used. However, air or N₂ or perfluorocarbon only encapsulated microbubbles which are currently used have lower efficiency and short imaging time. So the novel contrast agents with a higher efficiency are required. To achieve this objective, the strategy that we have explored involves the use of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles multilayer emulsion microbubbles. This multilayer structure consists of three layers. The core is poly-d, l-lactide (PLA) encapsulated N₂ nanobubble with the SPIO nanoparticles forming oil-in-water (W/O) layer. The outermost is water-in-oil-in-water ((W/O)/W) emulsion layer with PVA solution. Herein we describe the synthesis and characterization of ultrasound imaging microstructure with an overall diameter of around 2μm-8μm. On the one hand, the stable gas encapsulated microstructure can provide a high scattering intensity resulting in high echogenicity, On the other hand, SPIO nanoparticles have shown the potential of high-resolution sonography. So the multiple emulsion microbubbles with SPIO can have double action to enhance the ultrasound imaging. Besides, because SPIO can also serve as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, such microstructure may be useful for multimodality imaging studies in ultrasound imaging and MRI.     

Range-Doppler imaging

We review various narrow-band range-Doppler imaging methods that have been proposed for radar and highlight the difficulties in their implementation and their limitations. We also present two new imaging schemes. The first involves the transmission of multiplexed chirps, and the second involves simple frequency division multiplexing. The second approach seems to yield the most promising range-Doppler imaging methods.     

扫描电子声显微镜的成像机理及其应用

扫描电子声显微镜是近几年国际上发展起来的一种新型的显微微观察与成像工具，由于它的成像机理与以往的扫描电镜完全不同，特别是它能进行非破坏性的揭示样品亚表面特性的能力。因此，正越来越多的受到人们的重视与研究。本文主要介绍了扫描电子声显微镜的发展历史，简述了电子声成像技术的基本工作原理。     

Vertex/propagator model for least-scattered photons traversing a turbid medium

The least-scattered photons that arrive at a detector through highly scattering tissues have the potential to image internal structures, functions, and status with high imaging resolution. In contrast, optical diffusing tomography is based on the use of the late-arriving photons, which have been diffusely scattered, leading to very low imaging resolution. A good model of the early-arriving photons, i.e., the least-scattered photons, may have a significant effect on the development of imaging algorithms and a further understanding of imaging mechanisms within current high-resolution optical-imaging techniques. We describe a vertex/propagator approach that attempts to find the probabilities for least-scattered photons traversing a scattering medium, based on analytical expressions for photon histories. The basic mathematical derivations for the model are outlined, and the results are discussed and found to be in very good agreement with those from the Monte Carlo simulations.     

Applications of attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopic imaging to pharmaceutical formulations

This paper demonstrates an approach to obtain chemical images of pharmaceutical tablets using attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. FT-IR images with different fields of view and spatial resolution have been obtained using a combination of different ATR accessories. FT-IR imaging with the diamond ATR accessory and micro-ATR imaging technique have been compared. With the diamond ATR imaging accessory, compaction to a tablet can be performed and the chemical image measured in situ. It has been found that the diamond ATR imaging accessory gives information on the overall distribution of different components in a tablet while the micro-ATR imaging technique provides a closer look at the tablet with 4-microm spatial resolution. Low-concentration components down to 0.5% have been detected by the micro-ATR method. Both experimental and commercial systems are studied in this paper.     

Molecular imaging with SERS-active nanoparticles

Raman spectroscopy has been explored for various biomedical applications (e.g., cancer diagnosis) because it can provide detailed information on the chemical composition of cells and tissues. For imaging applications, several variations of Raman spectroscopy have been developed to enhance its sensitivity. To date, a wide variety of molecular targets and biological events have been investigated using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active nanoparticles. The superb multiplexing capability of SERS-based Raman imaging, already successfully demonstrated in live animals, can be extremely powerful in future research where different agents can be attached to different Raman tags to enable the simultaneous interrogation of multiple biological events. Over the last several years, molecular imaging with SERS-active nanoparticles has advanced significantly and many pivotal proof-of-principle experiments have been successfully carried out. It is expected that SERS-based imaging will continue to be a dynamic research field over the next decade.