System, method, and luminescent marker for improved diffuse luminescent imaging or tomography in scattering media

摘要

A method and system for luminescence molecular imaging or tomography of a region of interest in a scattering medium is disclosed. The system comprises a non-linear luminescent marker material arranged in the scattering medium. Contrast and resolution of the imaging or tomography is thus improved. The non-linear marker is for instance configured to upconvert incoming light of an illumination wavelength. The non-linear power dependence of the marker enables further improvement of the imaging by using images taken with two or more excitation beams simultaneously.

主权项

1. A method of imaging a region in a scattering medium by diffuse luminescence molecular imaging, said region comprising at least one luminescent marker arranged in said scattering medium at a marker position, wherein said luminescent marker is a non-linear luminescent marker, the method comprising:
exciting said luminescent marker by excitation light emitted by one or more light sources into an excitation volume from at least one light source position; detecting luminescence from said luminescent marker due to said excitation light by a detector at a luminescent light detection position; providing movement between said light source position and said marker position; imaging said luminescent marker based on a non-linear dependence of said detected luminescence on said excitation light intensity and said light source position in relation to said marker position, wherein said non-linear dependence is given by the relationship L=k*E^x, wherein: E is excitation light intensity in said excitation volume; L is luminescence light intensity from said luminescent marker; k is a positive constant; and x is a positive number larger than one.