MIT researchers have developed a new technique for metabolic imaging that uses lasers to analyse cells in living organisms in more detail than previously possible.
The technique emits light of different colours when shined on certain molecules, meaning researchers can study tissues up to three times deeper than was previously possible, whilst also increasing imaging speed more than two-fold.
As the samples are not sliced or stained, the technique is non-invasive and could be widely used in medical research, including cancer studies and drug discovery.
With the new technique, maximise signal and minimise scattering allows light to penetrate tissue 700 micrometers deep, compared with best previous techniques at 200 micrometers deep.