KEYNOTE: Chip-Based Spectral Imaging Integrated into Biomedical Instruments

The potential benefits of spectral imaging for biomedical applications have long been established in research laboratories. Now it's time to take the step towards clinical practice, enabled by a vital technological advance: on-chip spectral imaging.

Charle explains why incorporating thin-film spectral filters directly on the pixels of commercial image sensors is an improvement over traditional spectral systems that are based on push-broom liquid crystal tunable filters and require specific configurations. Because on-chip technology is so compact, it’s easier to integrate it into biomedical instruments such as microscopes and even endoscopes. Proven use cases for spectral imaging include diagnosis of brain cancer and intraoperative assistance during the resection of brain tumors, non-invasive direct flow measurements during coronary artery bypass grafting surgeries, and monitoring of blood flow and oxygen content in gastrointestinal tissues during surgeries to detect intestinal ischemia.

On-chip spectral imaging’s unique capability for video-rate recording enables researchers and medical practitioners to examine processes of living organisms and tissues in real time, as well as differentiate their constituting elements. In conjunction with AI, this system can help delineate surgical margins, monitor blood perfusion, and capture a variety of biomarkers in real time.

About the presenter
Wouter Charle is the program manager for spectral imaging technology at imec. With a background in physics, software engineering, and 3D machine vision, he joined imec in 2014 at the very beginning of their spectral imaging activities. Having contributed from the start to both technology and application development in this program, he is now leading future developments by setting up strategic partnerships and collaborations to establish the technology in the market.