Optimized volumetric imaging with selective volume illumination and light field detection

1. A system comprising:

a volumetric imaging apparatus; and

a computer coupled with the volumetric imaging apparatus; wherein the volumetric imaging apparatus comprises

a light source arranged to illuminate a three-dimensional sample, and

an optical system arranged with respect to the light source to receive and capture a light field, which comes from the illuminated three-dimensional sample,

wherein the optical system comprises one or more switchable optical components, one or more switchable optical geometries, or both the one or more switchable optical components and the one or more switchable optical geometries arranged to provide both

a first imaging mode in which structural image data is captured for the three-dimensional sample, and

a second imaging mode in which light field image data is captured for the three-dimensional sample, wherein the light field image data is produced when the light source, the optical system, or both the light source and the optical system are configured to confine an excitation volume of the three-dimensional sample in three-dimensional space; and

wherein the computer is configured to generate light field detection imagery using the structural image data to augment three-dimensional reconstruction from the light field image data.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to transform the structural image data to create a computational light-field version of the structural image data, subtract the computational light-field version of the structural image data from the light field image data to produce image difference data, and use the image difference data as input to the three-dimensional reconstruction to find dynamic changes between the light field image data and the structural image data.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a detection light path for the light field is non-collinear to an illumination light path of an illumination light from the light source.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the excitation volume of the three-dimensional sample is confined in the three-dimensional space by direct beam shaping of the illumination light.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the excitation volume of the three-dimensional sample is confined in the three-dimensional space by scanning a focused beam of the illumination light.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the scanning provides down to micron-level precision in defining the excitation volume of the three-dimensional sample.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the excitation volume of the three-dimensional sample is confined in the three-dimensional space by non-linear multi-photon optical excitation.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein a detection light path for the light field is collinear to an illumination light path of an illumination light from the light source.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the optical system comprises a common optical element arranged to (i) receive an illumination light that propagates via an illumination light path from the light source to illuminate the three-dimensional sample and (ii) receive the light field that propagates via a detection light path from the illuminated three-dimensional sample, wherein the illumination light path and the detection light path form an oblique angle at the three-dimensional sample, and wherein the excitation volume of the three-dimensional sample is confined in the three-dimensional space by scanning a focused spot of low-numerical-aperture focused excitation beams.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first imaging mode is that of a point-raster-scanning confocal microscope.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first imaging mode includes a two-photon-excitation capability.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first imaging mode is that of a light sheet microscope.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a non-coherent or low-coherence light source used for the second imaging mode.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the non-coherent or low-coherence light source comprises light emitting diodes.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to control the volumetric imaging apparatus to operate in the first mode and the second mode by effectuating movement of electro-mechanical components in the optical system that control the one or more switchable optical components, the one or more switchable optical geometries, or both the one or more switchable optical components and the one or more switchable optical geometries.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer is configured to determine multiple regions within the three-dimensional sample and control operation of the volumetric imaging apparatus to perform excitation and imaging of the multiple regions sequentially.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer is configured to determine an appropriate approach to effect the second mode for the three-dimensional sample and then (i) adjust optical geometry of the optical system, (ii) select an excitation mode for the light source, or both (i) and (ii) to implement the appropriate approach to effect the second mode.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer is coupled with the volumetric imaging apparatus through a computer network.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the computer comprises multiple processors.