Optical tomography of small moving objects using time delay and integration imaging

• US 6,591,003 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VisionGate, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VisionGate, Inc.
• Inventors: Chu, Chee-Wui, Nelson, Alan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAKHJAVAN, SHERVIN K
• Application Number:
  US10/260,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20030026468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 382/131, 382/133, 348/295, 359/458, 250/316.1, 250/318, 250/580, 250/332, 250/370.08, 250/201.8, 250/201.9, 250/203.3, 250/559.05, 250/559.07, 250/559.15, 250/559.16, 250/206.2, 250/564, 250/208.1, 378/9, 378/22, 378/23, 378/25, 378/26
• US Class Current: 382/133
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/147 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4795 spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium in vivo A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/419 computed tomograph
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/046 using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/006 Inverse problem, transformation from projection-space into object-space, e.g. transform methods, back-projection, algebraic methods

Abstract

Three dimensional reconstruction of an object of interest moving at a constant velocity. The object of interest is centered. The object of interest is imaged with optical point sources located at multiple projection angles around the object of interest, in cooperation with opposing time delay and integration (TDI) image sensors located at a distance from the objects of interest such that there is no focal plane within the objects of interest during imaging. Each of the TDI sensors has a line transfer rate synchronized to the constant velocity of the objects of interest.

Claims

1. A method for three dimensional reconstruction of objects of interest comprising the steps of:

(a) injecting objects of interest into a laminar flow stream such that objects are centered in the laminar flow stream and moving at a constant velocity;

(b) sampling the objects of interest with at least one optical point source located around the laminar flow stream, in cooperation with at least one opposing time delay and integration (TDI) image sensor located opposite the at least one optical point source at a distance from the laminar flow stream such that there is no focal plane within the objects of interest during sampling, and where multiple projection angles through objects of interest are sampled as they flow between the at least one optical point source and at least one opposing optical sensor; and

(c) generating at least one projection image with the at least one TDI image sensor, the line transfer rate of which is synchronized to the flow rate of the objects of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the objects of interest comprise a cell or a cell nucleus.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical projection beam is a cone beam.

4. A method for three dimensional reconstruction of objects of interest comprising the steps of:

(a) packing objects of interest into a linear container;

(b) sampling the objects of interest with at least one optical point source located around the linear container, in cooperation with at least one opposing time delay and integration (TDI) image sensor located opposite the at least one optical point source at a distance from the linear container such that there is no focal plane within the objects of interest during sampling, and where multiple projection angles through the objects of interest are sampled by an optical projection beam produced by the at least one optical point source as they move between at least one optical point source and at least one opposing optical sensor;

(c) translating the linear container at a constant rate such that the objects of interest move through the optical projection beam one at a time; and

(d) generating at least one projection image with the at least one opposing TDI image sensor, the line transfer rate of which is synchronized to the rate of translation of the object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the objects of interest comprise a cell or a cell nucleus.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of packing objects of interest into a linear container further comprises the step of packing a plurality of cells into a tube.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the optical projection beam is a cone beam.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of sampling the objects of interest further comprises the step of imaging at least three projections onto each of the plurality of TDI sensors.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the at least one optical point source further comprises a ring of point sources and wherein the at least one TDI sensor includes a ring of TDI image sensors placed in a plane below the ring of point sources.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the least one optical point source is located in a reconstruction cylinder including a plurality of photon point sources of selectable wavelength that are substantially concentric and that operate in conjunction with the at least one TDI sensor, where the at least one TDI sensor is sensitive to selectable portions of the light spectrum.

11. A method for three dimensional reconstruction of objects of interest, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) injecting objects of interest into a laminar flow stream of constant velocity; and

(b) generating a set of projection images at a plurality of angles for at least one of the objects of interest as it flows through a reconstruction cylinder, wherein the reconstruction cylinder includes a plurality of point sources in a first plane and plurality of time delay and integration (TDI) sensors in a second plane, where the first plane and the second plane are different but parallel, and wherein the plurality of point sources and plurality of TDI sensors are arranged so as to image the objects of interest as they flow through the reconstruction cylinder.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the reconstruction cylinder comprises more than one plane of point sources, wherein each of the more than one plane of point sources works cooperatively with each of more than one associated plane of TDI sensors to generate a plurality of images of the object of interest.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein each of the more than one plane of point sources and each of the more than one associated plane of TDI sensors are radially offset from each other to capture different perspectives.

14. A method for three dimensional reconstruction of an object of interest, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) packing a plurality of objects into a linear container including the object of interest;

(b) centering the object of interest as necessary;

(c) translating the linear container until the object of interest is located within a reconstruction cylinder, where the reconstruction cylinder includes a plurality of point sources in a first plane and plurality of time delay and integration (TDI) sensors in a second plane, where the first plane and the second plane are different but parallel;

(d) using the plurality of point sources to illuminate the object of interest with a plurality of optical projection beams, wherein the plurality of point sources and plurality of TDI sensors are arranged so as to image the object of interest as it traverses through the reconstruction cylinder; and

(e) generating a set of projection images of the object of interest at a plurality of angles.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of point sources are located in more than one plane, and wherein each plurality of point sources in a selected plane work cooperatively with each of an associated plane of TDI sensors to generate a plurality of images of the object of interest.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of point sources in a selected plane and each of the associated planes of TDI sensors are radially offset from at least one other point source plane and TDI plane respectively so as to capture different perspectives of the object of interest.

17. A method for three dimensional reconstruction of an object of interest moving at a constant velocity, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) centering the object of interest; and

(b) imaging the object of interest with a plurality of optical point sources located at multiple projection angles around the object of interest, in cooperation with a plurality of opposing time delay and integration (TDI) image sensors located at a distance from the objects of interest such that there is no focal plane within the objects of interest during imaging, each of the plurality of TDI sensors having a line transfer rate synchronized to the constant velocity of the objects of interest.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the plurality of optical point sources are located in a reconstruction cylinder including a plurality of photon point sources of selectable wavelength that are substantially concentric and that operate in conjunction with the plurality of opposing TDI image sensors, where the plurality of opposing TDI image sensors are sensitive to selectable portions of the light spectrum, and where the plurality of opposing TDI image sensors are disposed to receive light from the plurality of photon point sources after it has passed through the objects of interest.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the plurality of optical point sources are constructed as a ring of point sources and wherein the plurality of TDI sensors include a ring of TDI image sensors placed in a plane below the ring of point sources.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of imaging the object of interest further comprises the step of imaging at least three projections onto each of the plurality of TDI sensors.