Abstract
Purpose :
To develop and demonstrate a compact new high resolution imaging platform serving a wide range of experimental requirements for small animal models of eye disease. Modalities include AO-OCT, AOSLO reflectance and fluorescence, bright/dark-field imaging and angiographic capabilities in a next-generation benchtop platform. .
Methods :
We describe a novel benchtop AO imaging platform for small animals specifically designed to be rapidly reconfigurable by the researcher. The system includes a 69-actuator deformable mirror (ALPAO), a wavefront sensor, and a unique scanning engine that enables variable scan sizes and montages over a moveable field of regard in mice and rats, as well as other small animal species. Nominal fields range from 5 to 30 deg, 1000x800 pixels at 30fps. Turret-mounted objectives with a Badal focus slide used to independently control pupil size (0.5 to 3mm) and focal depth (>50D). The new animal holder gives stable 6-DOF positioning and OS/OD imaging over >100 degrees. A coordinated OCT reference delay line allows AO-OCT imaging at any selected conjugates. Functional filter blocks on two multiposition wheels allow rapid reconfiguration for reflectance/absorbance imaging and/or fluorescence imaging in available wavelength bands using a supercontinuum source. Each of these channels has independent focus controls in order to shift focal/detection planes with respect to the AO-OCT/wavefront sensor channel depth. Both bright, dark-field and split-field detection channels are multimode fiber-coupled and digitized with a four channel frame-grabber (Matrox). All imager controls are integrated new GUI software.
Results :
The initial imaging results presented from a small number of animals (C57Bl/6 mice) are the first images acquired with this platform. Using a 40mm triplet objective, we observed nerve fiber stucture in the inner retina, and flow in major vessels and capillaries in ~8 deg fields with a 1.5mm pupil. Based on the preliminary AO corrected images obtained, the best lateral imaging resolution obtained is consistent with the expected resolution near 1µm.
Conclusions :
A new benchtop imaging platform with the features descibed will enable the researcher to quickly devise and routinely execute advanced high resolution imaging protocols that would otherwise would require very complex experimental preparation.. New imaging tools.are essential for small animal models of disease in ophthalmology.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.