Metabolic imaging using laser light has been a valuable tool for assessing disease progression and treatment responses in living cells, though light scattering has been a limiting factor for how deep it can penetrate. MIT researchers have developed a new technique that significantly increases depth limit, speeds up imaging, and enhances resolution without requiring tissue preprocessing. This label-free imaging method involves adaptively customizing laser light for deep tissues using multimode fiber and a fiber shaper. The technique enables researchers to visualize cells at multiple depths and study metabolic changes noninvasively. Potential applications include cancer research and organoid observation. The researchers aim to further enhance image resolution and explore real-time drug response monitoring.
https://news.mit.edu/2024/noninvasive-imaging-method-can-penetrate-deeper-living-tissue-1211