High-fidelity microsecond-scale cellular imaging using two-axis compressed streak imaging fluorescence microscopy

Summary

Researchers developed a novel two-axis compressed streak imaging (TACSI) method, which reduces motion blur and streak compression ratio, resulting in improved image fidelity. This technique has broad implications for ultra-fast photography, including the visualization of action potentials, muscle contractions, and enzymatic reactions.

Highlights

• TACSI reduces motion blur and streak compression ratio, improving image fidelity.
• The technique uses a second scanning axis to shuttle a conjugate image of the object with respect to the coded aperture.
• TACSI has broad implications for ultra-fast photography, including biological applications.
• The method can resolve continuously illuminated fluorescently labeled cells and detect subtle variations in their fluorescence intensity.
• TACSI can be generalized to other streak mechanisms if higher frame rates are necessary.
• The technique has potential applications in fields such as hyperspectral imaging.
• TACSI provides an improved reconstruction while utilizing a fraction of the sensor's well depth.

Key Insights

• The TACSI method addresses the limitations of conventional compressed streak imaging (CSI) by introducing a second scanning axis, which reduces motion blur and streak compression ratio, resulting in improved image fidelity.
• By translating an intermediate image of a stationary or slow-moving object, TACSI creates a "flash and shutter" phenomenon that reduces coded aperture motion blur, overcoming the limitations of current CSI technologies.
• The technique has broad implications for high-speed photography, including the visualization of action potentials, muscle contractions, and enzymatic reactions that occur on microsecond and faster timescales using fluorescence microscopy.
• TACSI does not require modification to existing CS algorithms, making it possible to implement on multi-dimensional CSI systems for phase sensitivity or tomography.
• The method can be generalized to other streak mechanisms if higher frame rates are necessary, including polygon scanning mirrors and potentially a streak camera.
• TACSI provides an improved reconstruction while utilizing a fraction of the sensor's well depth, leaving room for further improvement through increased illumination intensity, depending upon the application.
• Further investigation is necessary to determine why the decreased TACSI compression ratio results in an increased bit-utilization ratio (BUR) when signals are reconstructed using ADMM-PnP.

Mindmap

Citation

Keppler, M. A., O’Connor, S. P., Steelman, Z. A., Liu, X., Liang, J., Yakovlev, V. V., & Bixler, J. N. (2024). High-fidelity microsecond-scale cellular imaging using two-axis compressed streak imaging fluorescence microscopy (Version 1). arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/ARXIV.2412.16427