Label-free hematology and pathology analysis using deep-ultraviolet microscopy

1. A deep-ultraviolet imaging system comprising:

a broadband light source configured for outputting a light beam comprising ultraviolet wavelengths and non-ultraviolet wavelengths for illuminating a biological sample;

one or more band-pass filters configured for filtering the light beam output from the broadband light source to remove non-ultraviolet wavelengths and to relay ultraviolet wavelengths;

a reception space for reception of a biological sample for illumination by the light beam output from the one or more band-pass filters;

an ultraviolet imaging objective configured for:

collecting light that has interacted with the biological sample; and

relaying the collected light to an image capture device; and

an ultraviolet sensitive image capture device configured for capturing images of the light that is relayed from the ultraviolet imaging objective;

wherein the imaging system is configured to:

capture one or more images of the biological sample at one or more ultraviolet wavelengths; and

implement an analysis method on the one or more images to classify or characterize one or more cells in the biological sample.

2. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the system comprises two or more band-pass filters.

3. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 2 , wherein:

the two more band-pass filters are supported on a filter stage that is configured for switching between the two or more band-pass filters.

4. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more band-pass filters are further configured for passing light in a narrow band ultraviolet wavelength of 50 nm or less, each centered around a wavelength in a range of 200-450 nm.

5. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a short-pass dichroic mirror for filtering out non-ultraviolet wavelengths from the light beam output from the broadband light source;

wherein the short-pass dichroic mirror is positioned between the broadband light source and the one or more band-pass filters.

6. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a parabolic mirror for removing chromatic aberrations and converging the light beam that is output from the broadband light source;

wherein the parabolic mirror is between the broadband light source and the one or more band-pass filters.

7. A deep-ultraviolet imaging system comprising:

a light source comprising a first set of one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for illuminating a biological sample, each LED of the first set configured to output a light beam of narrow band ultraviolet wavelengths of 50 nm or less;

a reception space for reception of a biological sample for illumination by the light beam output from the light source;

an ultraviolet imaging objective configured for:

collecting light that has interacted with the biological sample; and

relaying the collected light to an image capture device; and

an ultraviolet sensitive image capture device configured for capturing images of the light that is relayed from the ultraviolet imaging objective;

wherein the imaging system is configured to:

capture one or more images of the biological sample at one or more ultraviolet wavelengths; and

implement an analysis method on the one or more images to classify or characterize one or more cells in the biological sample.

8. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 7 , wherein:

the light source two further comprises a second set of one or more LEDs, each LED of the second set configured to output a light beam of narrow band ultraviolet wavelengths of 50 nm or less, each LED of the second set further configured to output ultraviolet wavelengths that differ from ultraviolet wavelengths of each LED of the first set.

9. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 7 , wherein:

the light source further comprises a second set of one or more LEDs for emitting light in a narrow band ultraviolet wavelength, each centered around a wavelength in a range of 200-400 nm.

10. A deep-ultraviolet imaging system comprising:

a light source configured for outputting a light beam of ultraviolet wavelengths for illuminating a biological sample;

a reception space for reception of a biological sample for illumination by the light beam output from the light source;

an ultraviolet imaging objective adapted to:

collect light that has interacted with the biological sample, which may include absorption and scattering in transmission and back-reflection; and

relay the collected light to an image capture device; and

an ultraviolet sensitive image capture device configured for capturing images of the light that is relayed from the ultraviolet imaging objective;

wherein the imaging system is configured to:

capture one or more images of the biological sample at one or more ultraviolet wavelengths; and

implement an analysis method on the one or more images to classify or characterize one or more cells in the biological sample.

11. A deep-ultraviolet imaging system comprising:

a light source configured for outputting a light beam comprising ultraviolet wavelengths for illuminating a biological sample;

a reception space for reception of a biological sample for illumination by the light beam output from the light source;

an ultraviolet imaging objective configured for:

collecting light that has interacted with the biological sample; and

relaying the collected light to an image capture device; and

an ultraviolet sensitive image capture device configured for capturing images of the light that is relayed from the ultraviolet imaging objective;

wherein the imaging system is configured to:

capture one or more images of the biological sample at one or more ultraviolet wavelengths; and

implement an analysis method on the one or more images to classify or characterize one or more cells in the biological sample; and

wherein the analysis method at least one of:

employs a machine learning algorithm;

identifies and/or phenotypes unique types of cells in the biological sample;

phenotypes blood, bone marrow, and/or tissue in the biological sample; or

comprises transforming the one or more images of the biological sample to one or more corresponding colored images.

12. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 11 , wherein when the analysis method comprises transforming the one or more images of the biological sample to one or more corresponding colored images, prior to the transforming, the analysis method further comprises normalizing the one or more images using a blank image captured at the one or more ultraviolet wavelengths.

13. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 11 , wherein when the analysis method comprises transforming the one or more images of the biological sample to one or more corresponding colored images, prior to the transforming, the analysis method further comprises scaling the one or more images with a weight factor and gamma factor, the weight factor and gamma factor for the one or more images being chosen based on the one or more ultraviolet wavelengths.

14. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 11 , wherein when the analysis method comprises transforming the one or more images of the biological sample to one or more corresponding colored images, the transforming comprises assigning the one or more images to a channel in the red, green, and blue (RGB) color-space based on the one or more ultraviolet wavelengths.

15. The deep-ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 11 , wherein when the analysis method comprises transforming the one or more images of the biological sample to one or more corresponding colored images, the transforming is performed such that colors in the one or more corresponding colored images distinguish molecular and structural entities in the image.

16. A method of characterizing or classifying cells in a biological sample comprising:

illuminating the biological sample with light comprising a narrow band of ultraviolet wavelengths having a bandwidth of 50 nm or less and centered on a wavelength of 255-260 nm;

capturing one or more images of the biological sample at the one or more narrow band of ultraviolet wavelengths; and

analyzing the captured one or more images to classify or characterize one or more cells in the biological sample.