A CCD-BASED TISSUE IMAGING-SYSTEM

A novel tissue imaging system has been developed utilising a cooled sc ientific grade charge coupled device (CCD) to detect the low energy X- ray emissions and beta particle emissions from a variety of isotopes c ommonly used in tissue autoradiography. Results are presented which il lustrate the systems potential for faster and more accurate imaging of tissue samples than is conventionally achieved using film emulsion au toradiography. With position resolution approaching 20 mu m and intrin sic sensitivity approaching 100%, the CCD system also surpasses the pe rformance of current digital autoradiography technology. Because of th e frame-by-frame composite way in which images are constructed, the sy stem displays excellent linearity over a large dynamic range. Operatio n of the CCD in the inverted mode at temperatures up to 35 degrees C h as been investigated, with promising results.