Method and system of array imaging

• US 20070040095A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tufts University
• Original Assignee: Tufts University
• Inventors: Bencic-Nagale, Sandra, Walt, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,595,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/205
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/0276 Protection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0213 using attenuators
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0229 using masks, aperture plates, spatial light modulators or spatial filters, e.g. reflective filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2803 using photoelectric array detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/4406 Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6441 with two or more labels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6484 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6458 Fluorescence microscopy fluorescence microscopes per se G02B21/0076 and G02B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/08 Optical fibres; light guides
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/088 Using a sensor fibre

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system of array imaging that extends or maximizes the longevity of the sensor array by minimizing the effects of photobleaching. The imaging system has a light source, a variable exposure aperture, and a variable filter system. The system extends the longevity of sensors by (1) using the variable exposure aperture to selectively expose sections of the sensor array containing representative numbers of each type of sensor, and/or (2) using the variable filter system to control the intensity of the excitation light, providing only the intensity required to induce the appropriate excitation and increasing that intensity over time as necessary to counteract the effects of photobleaching.

Claims

1. A method of detecting the presence of at least one target analyte in at least a first and a second sample comprising:

contacting said first sample with a sensor array comprising a plurality of sensor element types and a plurality of sensor elements of each sensor element type;

illuminating at least a first section of said sensor array with a first intensity and collecting a first set of data;

contacting said second sample with said sensor array;

illuminating at least a second section of said sensor array with a second intensity and collecting a second set of data; and

determining the presence or absence of said target analyte.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second sections are the same.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second sections are different.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second intensity is greater than the first intensity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second intensity is substantially similar to the first intensity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the illuminating the sensor array comprises illuminating the sensor array through a variable exposure aperture.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the variable exposure aperture is positionable.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the variable exposure aperture is a slit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the slit is a rectangular-shaped slit.

10. A method of determining the amount of at least one target analyte present in at least a first and a second sample comprising:

contacting said first sample with a sensor array comprising a plurality of sensor element types and a plurality of sensor elements of each sensor element type;

illuminating at least a first section of said sensor array with a first intensity and collecting a first set of data;

contacting said second sample with said sensor array;

illuminating at least a second section of said sensor array with a second intensity and collecting a second set of data; and

determining an amount of said target analyte present.

11. An array imaging system comprising:

(a) a light source;

(b) an array receiving component;

(b) a variable exposure aperture disposed between the light source and the array receiving component; and

(c) a variable filter system disposed between the light source and the array receiving component.

12. The array imaging system of claim 11, further comprising a magnification lens disposed between the light source and the array receiving component.

13. The array imaging system of claim 12, further comprising an array detector associated with the magnification lens.

14. The array imaging system of claim 11, wherein the variable filter system is programmable to decrease in optical density over time.

15. The array imaging system of claim 11, wherein the variable filter system comprises a set of filters disposed between the light source and the array receiving component, the set of filters being programmed to provide decreasing optical density.

16. The array imaging system of claim 15, wherein the set of filters comprises filters of varying optical densities.

17. The array imaging system of claim 15, wherein the set of filters comprises filters having optical densities ranging from about 0.2 to about 1.0.

18. The array imaging system of claim 15, wherein the set of filters provides optical density values ranging from about 1.0 to about 2.0.

19. The array imaging system of claim 11, wherein the variable exposure aperture is a positionable aperture configured to operate with the light source to control an area of exposure.

20. The array imaging system of claim 11, wherein the variable exposure aperture comprises a slit configured to allow light to pass through from the light source to the sensor array.

21. The array imaging system of claim 11, wherein the variable exposure aperture comprises a rectangular slit.