Imaging Apparatus for Combined Temperature and Luminescence Spatial Imaging of an Object

• US 20090194693A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Kolesnychenko, Aleksey, Klunder, Derk Jan Wilfred
• Application Number:
  US12/301,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20090194693A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/332
• 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 21/6456 Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/76 Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence

Abstract

An imaging apparatus is disclosed for combined temperature and luminescence spatial imaging of an object (1), such as a bio-array for detection of biological molecules. Light (5) is separated into a first (10) and a second (20) optical path, where the first optical path (10) guides infrared (IR), and the second optical path (20) guides luminescence light, preferably fluorescence light, from the object (1). Image intensifying means (30) converts infrared light (10a) in the first optical path into intensified light (10b), preferably visible light. Photo detection means (100) are arranged for spatial imaging of the object (1), the photo detection means being arranged for alternately receiving light from the first (10) and the second (20) optical path. Processing means (200) are capable of combining a temperature image (11) with a luminescence image (21) so as to obtain a combined image (25) of the object with a direct spatial correspondence between the two images. For bio-arrays this provides many advantages in relation to combined imaging of an array, whereupon numerous probe molecules are located.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus for obtaining a combined temperature and luminescence spatial image (25) of an associated object (1), the apparatus comprising:

optical separating means (3, 9, 11) for separating light (5) received from the object into a first (10) and a second (20) optical path, said first optical path (10) arranged for guiding infrared (IR) portions of the received light from the object, said second optical path (20) being arranged for guiding luminescence portions of received light from the object,

image intensifying means (30) capable of converting infrared light portions of the light (10a) in the first optical path into intensified light (10b),

photo detection means (100) arranged for spatial imaging of the object (1), said photo detection means being arranged for alternately receiving light from the first (10) and the second (20) optical path, and

processing means (200) operably connected to the photo detection means (100), said processing means being adapted to obtain a spatial temperature image (11) of the object from the intensified light (10b) of the first optical path, said processing means further being adapted to spatially combine at least partly said temperature image (11) with a luminescence image (21) of the object obtained from the second optical path (20) so as to obtain a combined image (25) of the object.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said combined image (25) of the object comprises luminescence data and temperature data about the object (1).

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the luminescence portion of received light (5) from the object comprises light selected from the group consisting of:

photoluminescence, electroluminescence, chemiluminescence and bioluminescence.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photoluminescence portion of received light (5) from the object comprises light selected from the group consisting of:

fluorescence and phosphorescence.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photo detection means (100) is a single photo detection entity (100) so to as provide a direct spatial correspondence between the temperature image (11) and luminescence image (21) obtained of the object (1).

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photo detection means (100) comprises a charge coupled device (CCD).

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical separating means (9) comprises at least one displaceable mirror.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least one displaceable mirror (9a, 9b) is displaceable to a first position for guiding the light (5) received from the object into the first optical path (10), and a second position for guiding the light (5) received from the object into the second optical path (20).

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical separating means (11) comprises at least one optical component capable of splitting the light received from the object into an infrared (IR) portion and a luminescence portion, and redirecting the two portions into the first (10) and the second (20) optical path, respectively.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image intensifying means (30) is capable of wavelength down-converting the infrared (IR) light.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image intensifying means (30) is capable of converting the infrared (IR) light into visible light (VIS).

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first optical path (10) comprises one or more optical band-pass filters (40).

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first optical path comprises at least a first and a second optical band-pass filter (40), said first and second band-pass filter having different band-pass ranges, preferably non-overlapping band-pass ranges.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the temperature spatial image (11) is obtained by combining data obtained from light having passed said first optical band-pass filter (40) with data obtained from light having passed said second optical band-pass filter (40).

15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object (1) for imaging is a bio-array.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, where the bio-array comprises a plurality of spots, wherein probe molecules are immobilized.

17. A biological detection system for detecting the presence, and optionally quantity, of one or more biological targets, said system comprising an imaging apparatus according to claim 1.

18. A method for obtaining a combined temperature and luminescence spatial image of an object (1), the method comprising the steps of:

separating light (5) received from the object (1) into a first (10) and a second (20) optical path, said first optical path (10) being arranged for guiding infrared (IR) portions of the received light from the object, said second optical path (20) being arranged for guiding luminescence portions of received light (5) from the object (1),

converting infrared light portions (10a) of the light in the first optical path into intensified light (10b) by image intensifying means (30),

providing photo detection means (100) arranged for spatial imaging of the object (1), said photo detection means being arranged for alternately receiving light from the first (10) and the second (20) optical path,

providing processing means (200) operably connected to the photo detection means (100), said processing means being adapted to obtain a spatial temperature image (11) of the object from the intensified light (10b) of the first optical path (10), and

combining, at least partly, said temperature image (11) with a luminescence image (21) of the object (1) obtained from the second optical path (20) so as to obtain a combined image (25) of the object.