Implantable imagers for in vivo imaging

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for in vivo fluorescence imaging. Disclosed herein is an implantable miniature fluorescence imager on a chip having a custom imaging array with angle selective gratings, fiber optics, or microcollimators for image deblurring, and optical filters that can be tuned to image fluorescence from multiple fluorophores simultaneously. Power is supplied by an on-chip power source or transmitted to the chip from an external transducer such as an ultrasound transducer, electromagnetic transducer, inductive transducer, or radiofrequency transducer. Wireless communication may be provided by electromagnetic or ultrasound links to the device. The function of a fluorescence microscope is provided in a millimeter-scale device that can be readily implanted in tissue and used to image fluorescently labeled cells in vivo. The small size of the fluorescence imager makes possible sustained in vivo imaging with real-time monitoring of multiple cell types within Shifting the dynamic diseased tissue or a tumor.