A146 - Label-free imaging of tissues and collagen with high-definition quantitative phase imaging

Julien Savatier (julien.savatier@fresnel.fr)
Cassandra Borgane (borgane@phasics.fr)

We combine a high-definition wavefront sensor (SID4-sC8, Phasics S.A.) and a polarization-resolved quantitative phase imaging (QPI) modality to discriminate fine birefringent structures within cells or tissues (ex: collagen fibers), without labeling and at 1 Hz. This is based on quadriwave lateral shearing interferometry (QLSI) phase imaging, combined with light polarization. We place a wavefront analyzer measuring an optical path difference (OPD = dn e) on a video port of a microscope. We add a system that linearly polarizes the light and rotates it to illuminate the sample with a series of given linear polarization. The refractive index of the birefringent components varies according to the direction of polarization of the light and its direction of propagation relative to their optical axis. A series of images of an area at different polarization angles gives OPD images, where all the elements are contrasted, even the isotropic ones. Digital processing creates two images of only the birefringent components, in retardance (Δn e, with Δn = birefringence of the anisotropic element) and orientation. This technique gives information about the local retardance and structure of anisotropic components. In addition to bringing morphological information on unstained biopsies, it can reveal tumor development grades thanks to specific fiber organization imaging. This information can be used as a tumor-associated signature. We show the capability of our approach on mouse skin and human breast tissues, with automatic mosaic acquisition and analysis.