Illumination filter system and observation system for a multispectral fluorescence microscope, multispectral fluorescence microscope, and microscopying method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an illumination filter system () for medical imaging, in particular multispectral fluorescence imaging, as performed e.g. in a microscope () or endoscope, such as a surgical microscope, in particular a surgical multispectral fluorescence microscope, comprising a first optical filter (). The present invention also relates to an observation system () for medical imaging, in particular multispectral fluorescence imaging, as performed e.g. in a microscope () or endoscope, in particular a multispectral fluorescence microscope, comprising a beam splitter () adapted to split a light image () into a first light portion () along a first light path () and a second light portion () along a second light path (). To improve known illumination filter systems and observation systems, so these systems work with one light source only, are capable of capturing simultaneously at least one fluorescence signal and a signal of visible reflected light and allow a homogeneous illumination for obtaining different images from the object illuminated, the first optical filter () is adapted to quench light of at least one fluorescence excitation band within the visible spectrum in the illumination filter system () of the present invention, and the first light portion () comprises at least one fluorescence emission band (Em., Em.) in the visible spectrum and the second light portion () portion comprises a visible reflected light (VISR) in the observation system () of the present invention.