SBIR Phase II: Laser-Based Replacement for FTIR Microscopy

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将实现用于医疗诊断的新型量子级联激光（QCL）红外显微镜的全部潜力。红外显微镜可用于组织识别而无需染色，可能允许快速，原位诊断疾病，如癌症。基于傅里叶变换红外（FTIR）光谱仪和冷却检测器的现有红外显微镜具有高成本和慢图像采集速度，这限制了它们在标准医疗诊所设置中的有用性。新的QCL技术使紧凑，广泛可调谐的激光光源成为现实，为中红外区（3至12微米），这些显微镜的运作。这些激光器的高功率还使得可以使用较低灵敏度（和较低成本）的室温焦平面阵列用于图像采集。第一阶段的研究表明，显微镜和成像确实是可能的相干光源，如QCL。QCL的快速调谐和高强度所提供的性能增强将允许以前所未有的速度通过红外组织分析进行癌症筛查。该提案的智力价值是基于这项新技术创造一种有用的产品，可以使癌症研究人员和医疗诊断受益。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是，可以开发具有更高功能和更低成本的红外显微镜，并在诊所一级提供医疗诊断。最近的研究表明，红外显微镜提供了必要的分辨率和组织识别能力，用于癌症筛查的自动算法。尽管有这种潜在的用途，红外显微镜一直局限于选定的实验室。这部分是由于现有的FTIR技术不允许减小尺寸和成本，也不允许增加采集速度和分辨率，这是使红外显微镜成为常用分析技术所必需的。QCL显微镜将在第二阶段建成，将彻底改变红外显微镜仪器。基于第一阶段组件的性能，估计筛选组织阵列的癌症迹象的时间将从FTIR显微镜的六天缩短到QCL显微镜的三分钟。这种性能是红外显微镜的游戏规则改变者，并将有助于推动该技术在临床环境中的更大采用，以及有助于快速筛查疾病的自动化系统。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will realize the full potential of a new quantum cascade laser (QCL) infrared microscope for medical diagnostics. Infrared microscopy can be used for tissue identification without staining, potentially allowing quick, in situ diagnostics for diseases such as cancer. Present infrared microscopes based on Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers and cooled detectors have a high cost and slow image acquisition speed that limits their usefulness in standard medical clinic settings. New QCL technology makes compact, broadly tunable laser light sources a reality for the mid-infrared region (3 to 12 um) where these microscopes operate. The high power of these lasers also makes it possible to use less sensitive (and lower cost) room temperature focal plane arrays for image acquisition. The Phase I research demonstrated that microscopy and imaging are indeed possible with coherent light sources like QCLs. The performance enhancements available with the rapid tuning and high intensity of QCLs will allow cancer screening via infrared tissue analysis at unprecedented speeds. The intellectual merit in the proposal is to create a useful product based on this new technology that can benefit cancer researchers and medical diagnostics. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that infrared microscopes with increased capabilities and reduced cost can be developed and made available for medical diagnostics at the clinic level. Recent research demonstrates that infrared microscopy offers the resolution and tissue identification capabilities necessary for it to be used in automated algorithms for cancer screening. In spite of this potential usefulness, infrared microscopy has been confined to select labs. This is in part due to existing FTIR technology that does not allow the reduction in size and cost, nor increase in acquisition speed and resolution, necessary to make infrared microscopy a common analytical technique. The QCL microscope to be built in Phase II will revolutionize infrared microscopy instrumentation. Based on demonstrated performance of components in Phase I, it is estimated that the time to screen a tissue array for signs of cancer will be reduced from six days with a FTIR microscope, to just three minutes with a QCL microscope. This kind of performance is a game-changer for infrared microscopy, and will help drive larger adoption of the technique in clinical settings, and in automated systems that aid in rapid screening for disease.