Label-free optical imaging of tissue metabolism

Abstract

Metabolic dysfunction in tissues is a hallmark of many significant diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. Label-free optical imaging provides a non-invasive, real-time window into tissue metabolism by analyzing endogenous contrast from intrinsic biomarkers. This work presents a multimodal approach integrating hyperspectral, polarimetric, fluorescence, and laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) for a comprehensive assessment of tissue metabolism and microcirculatory dynamics.
We introduce a polarization-sensitive hyperspectral system to quantify tissue oxygenation, blood volume fraction, and structural changes; a Stokes-polarimetric method for label-free histopathology of oncological samples; fluorescence lifetime imaging in the frequency domain to visualize the spatial heterogeneity of metabolic cofactors such as NADH and flavins; and LSCI for functional imaging of blood flow regulatory mechanisms.
All imaging modalities are supported by Monte Carlo simulations of light transport, machine learning-based spectral analysis, and calibration using custom-designed optical phantoms. Clinical and preclinical studies demonstrate high diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity of the proposed methods.
This label-free optical imaging platform enables a comprehensive, non-invasive assessment of tissue metabolism and hemodynamics without the need for exogenous agents, offering a powerful tool for diagnostics, disease monitoring, and personalized therapy planning in clinical biophotonics.

Speaker

Viktor Dremin
Orel State University
Russia

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