Optical Imaging of Cells, Tissues, and Non-Living Materials

Mechano-optical Microscopy Facility at the Institute for Medicine and Engineering:

• The DeltaVision deconvolution microscope allows high-resolution optical sectioning in fluorescence mode. Two Silicon Graphics workstations provide image restoration and analysis tools that allow users to compile precise 3-D data in time-lapse and with multiple fluorescence wavelengths.
• A Zeiss Axiophot high-resolution upright microscope includes two 35-mm film cameras and a Dage-MTI chilled CCD video camera for analog or digital acquisition (respectively) of fluorescence, DIC, or darkfield images. An attached Pentium PC provides software control of microscope and camera hardware as well as digital image analysis tools.
• An Olympus IMT-2 microscope is capable of fluorescence, DIC, phase contrast, and darkfield microscopy. An Eppendorf micromanipulation and microinjection system attached to the microscope allows users to accurately manipulate and/or inject many individual cells in a short time period.

Optical Imaging at the Pennsylvania Muscle Institute:

Optical Imaging and Micromanipulation Facility at the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter:

• An optical work station that includes fluorescence microscopy, light scattering, and laser tweezers.
• A confocal microscopy facility consisting of two microscope bases (Leica DMR and DM/IR) and a Noran Oz confocal head.
• A force measuring laser line-tweezer system based on a Zeiss Axiovert 135.
• A Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscope (NSOM) mounted on an Inverted Optical stage which enables the coupling of other capabilities such as Laser Tweezers to the instrument.
• A combination STM/AFM microscope

There are also confocal microscope facilities at the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology (School of Medicine) and the Department of Bioengineering (School of Engineering and Applied Science).

For more information on Optical Imaging, please visit the following sites:

Biomedical Imaging at the Department of Radiology

• Breast Imaging
• Cardio-Thoracic Imaging
• Computed Tomography (Body)
• Gastrointestinal Radiology
• Genitourinary Radiology
• Interventional Radiology
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Medical Image Processing Group
• Metabolic Imaging
• Musculoskeletal Imaging
• Nuclear Medicine
• Neuroradiology
• Pendergrass Diagnostic Imaging Laboratory
• Pharmacology
• Physics (Diagnostic Imaging)
• Physics (PET)
• Ultrasound

The Interventional Radiology section began an important collaboration with Vascular Surgery to develop minimally invasive approaches for placing intravascular (primarily aortic and iliac) shunts. This approach will revolutionize the treatment of intravascular lesions (primarily aneurysms and stenosis) and, since it requires advanced skills in both surgery and radiology, demands a high degree of collaboration between the two departments. Judging by objective data regarding scientific papers and presentations, the section has a dominant role at the two major scientific venues in our field -- the Radiologic Society of North America and the Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology.

The MRI section continues to diversify its research efforts. We have successfully implemented imaging of human sinuses and lungs using hyperpolarized helium. We have now applied this to patients with emphysema with the expectation that this will become part of the standard work-up for patients being considered for lung reduction surgery. Our work in MRI imaging of the Breast continues with ever increasing success. On the basis of this we initiated several multi-center trials to increase the number of patients with the goal of bringing this into clinical use as soon as possible.

Our efforts in functional MRI (fMRI) were ported to the 4T MRI system with increased resolution and enhanced signal to noise. This allows experiments into more sophisticated studies of cognition, with the potential for real time, whole brain studies. New 3D, motion insensitive, whole brain perfusion techniques were developed that do not require injection of contrast agents. This technique is ideally suited for the emergency evaluation of patients with acute stroke in order to determine whether they are suitable candidates for thrombolytic therapy. Dr. Kundel continues as the Principal investigator of a Program Project Grant P01-CA5311 called Modeling and Evaluating Image Management Systems. It is a multidisciplinary effort among the Departments of Radiology, Medicine, Epidemiology and Emergency Medicine in the Medical School and the Operations and Information Management Department of the Wharton School. The clinical test bed is the Emergency Department and the objective is to study how the introduction of digital imaging and digital management systems affects diagnostic accuracy, workflow efficiency, and operation costs.

Mathematics and Medical Imaging