Review of spectral imaging technology in biomedical engineering: achievements and challenges

Abstract

Spectral imaging is a technology that integrates conventional imaging and spectroscopy to get both spatial and spectral information from an object. Although this technology was originally developed for remote sensing, it has been extended to the biomedical engineering field as a powerful analytical tool for biological and biomedical research. This review introduces the basics of spectral imaging, imaging methods, current equipment, and recent advances in biomedical applications. The performance and analytical capabilities of spectral imaging systems for biological and biomedical imaging are discussed. In particular, the current achievements and limitations of this technology in biomedical engineering are presented. The benefits and development trends of biomedical spectral imaging are highlighted to provide the reader with an insight into the current technological advances and its potential for biomedical research.

Fluorescence properties of human teeth and dental calculus for clinical applications

“…Several methods for the diagnosis of dental caries and detection of dental calculus were developed based on the fluorescence spectra emitted at specific wavelength(s). Since fluorescent properties of dental hard tissues are used in diverse fields of clinical practice, these properties should be investigated further embracing newly introduced optical techniques, such as spectral imaging that integrates conventional imaging and spectroscopy to get both spatial and spectral information from an object 73 or hyperspectral imaging that acquires a three-dimensional dataset called a hypercube with two spatial dimensions and one spectral dimension. 74 …”

Excitation-scanning hyperspectral imaging microscope

“…3,9,33,34 These emission-scanning approaches provide a wealth of additional information that allows for highly specific molecular identification. However, emission scanning also provides inherently low-signal intensity due to the spectral filtering technologies employed, which require attenuating the majority of emitted light.…”

Ultrafast imaging Raman spectroscopy of large-area samples without stepwise scanning

“…Even for an image being composed of some 100 pixels, the measurement time can exceed 1 h. For examination at a patient or for fast-changing samples, this time span is far too long to be practical. To accelerate the measuring procedure, various techniques for a parallel data collection are described (Li et al, 2013;Hagen et al, 2012). Of particular interest are full-throughput snapshot techniques, also called multichannel or integral field spectroscopy (IFS).…”