Biomedical Imaging: Principles and Applications

Chapter 10

Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Microscopy

Annika Enejder

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden

Christoph Heinrich

Department für Physiologie und Medizinische Physik, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Christian Brackmann

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden

Stefan Bernet and Monika Ritsch-Marte

Department für Physiologie und Medizinische Physik, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

10.1 Basics

10.1.1 Introduction

Generations of bioscientists have obtained microscopic images based on the light absorption, scattering, polarization, and fluorescence properties of their samples, providing information on different aspects of the fascinating world of the cell. In our quest to understand normal as well as disease conditions for the benefit of human health, the requirements of resolution and contrast have changed radically during the last decade. We want more than the morphological information typically provided; we now wish to follow changes in structural and physiological molecular properties as well as dynamic biochemical processes at the molecular level in living cells and in real time. This stimulates the development of a series of sophisticated microscopic methods based on multiphoton (nonlinear) interaction processes. Here, conventional light sources are replaced by short-pulsed laser systems generating ...