N-time-gate data-type for TPSF-based optical imaging

1. A method for optical imaging of a light scattering object, the method comprising steps of:

i) selecting a plurality of time-gates for imaging the object;

ii) injecting a pulse of light at an injection port into said object at time t;

iii) collecting light from said object at a plurality of collection ports at the selected plurality of time-gates to provide a plurality of optical signal based temporal point spread function and collecting light only for selected time gates, and not for a series of consecutive time-gates; and

iv) introducing corresponding temporal delay to each one of the optical signal based temporal point spread functions for obtaining staggered optical based temporal spread point spread functions;

wherein said light collection of said time-gated signals at said selected plurality of time-gates comprises:

obtaining at least a first derivative of each temporal point spread function; and

identifying one or more time intervals of each temporal point spread function in which a first derivative is zero at a point in said time interval thereby effecting said collection of said time-gated signals.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of collection ports are adjacent to one another and said temporal point spread functions are identical.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said time-gated signals span a time interval defined by an initial time and a final time which are set relative to t o .

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said light collection is performed for a plurality of injection port/object/detector port geometries.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said collection is based on one or more optical properties of said object.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said initial time and said time-gated signals are estimated based on one or more optical properties of said object that influence propagation of said light within said object.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein said one or more properties comprise thickness of said object.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said time-gated signals are further selected based on an order of said derivative.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said collection of said time-gated signals comprises:

i) retrievably storing said time-gated signals such that said time-gated signals are associated with at least one predetermined characteristic of a corresponding object; and

ii) matching a characteristic of a new object to be imaged with said stored predetermined characteristics to identify corresponding time-gates to be used in imaging said new object.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of light collection is performed using a time-gated detector.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the time-gated detector is an intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two or more time-gated signals are simultaneously detected at two or more time-gated detectors having a synchronized acquisition time gate.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the step of simultaneously detecting comprises detecting said selected time-gates using a time-gated detector comprising a 2-dimensional array of pixels.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the time-gated detector is an ICCD camera.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the collecting of the light is achieved by providing one or more optical fibers.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 further comprising adjusting a relative length of fibers to introduce the relative temporal delay.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the fibers are grouped together into one or more bundles.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein each fiber in the one or more bundles is directed to a distinct detection position of the time-gated detector or to a distinct time-gated detector.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the one or more bundles are spatially localized such as to collect light from one or more desired areas of said object.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the one or more bundles are coupled to one or more time-gated detectors.

21. A system for optical imaging of a light scattering object the system comprising:

i) at least one light injection port and

ii) a light collecting apparatus comprising a plurality of collection ports and providing a plurality of sequential time gated optical signal based temporal point spread functions; and said light collecting apparatus collects light at a selected plurality of time-gates and not for a series of consecutive time-gates

wherein said light collection apparatus collects light from an object at the plurality of collection ports and collects light of said time-gated signals at said selected plurality of times-gates by:

obtaining at least a first derivative of each temporal point spread function; and

identifying one or more time intervals of each temporal point spread function in which a first derivative is zero at a point in said time interval thereby effecting said collection of said time-gated signals.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein the collection ports are adjacent to one another.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the light collecting apparatus comprises one or more optical fibers.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the optical delay feature comprises a difference in the relative length of the optical fibers.