Photon etc. IR VIVO preclinical small animal imaging system

The IR VIVO system from Photon etc. is a turnkey hyperspectral preclinical imager optimised for imaging in the second biological window of the near-infrared (NIR-II)/short-wave infrared (SWIR) range from 900–1620 nm. Applications include in vivo studies on small animals or living organisms.

Measurement of heart rate, respiratory rate, hepatic function, hepatobiliary and intestinal function, blood flow and angiography in small animals is possible. The increased penetration depth and contrast of NIR-II imaging, combined with its fast acquisition speed and micron-scale spatial resolution, enables users to visualise simultaneously microvasculature and blood flow through an intact cranial bone. Other biological applications include pharmacokinetics of chemotherapy drugs, lipid quantification in liver and blood circulation, monitoring of deep-seated tumours and monitoring cell environment (pH, lipid, mRNA).

The IR VIVO system combines micron-scale spatial resolution, real-time imaging and full spectral coverage throughout small animals. Emission of several fluorophores can be isolated with a high-efficiency tuneable filter and ultralow-noise, scientific-grade InGaAs camera.

Incorporating near- and short-wave infrared, the product is said to benefit from reduced scattering as well as minimal tissue absorption and auto-fluorescence, allowing deeper, clearer imaging than standard optical imaging. It also takes advantage of the most recent developments in SWIR imaging, combining Photon etc.’s ultralow-noise InGaAs camera (ZephIR 1.7) with novel illumination and powerful analytical software to provide fast, high-resolution and deep imaging.