Review of biomedical optical imaging-a powerful, non-invasive, non-ionizing technology for improving in vivo diagnosis

This paper reviews the recent developments in the field of biomedical optical imaging, emphasizing technologies that have been moved from 'bench top to bedside'. Important new developments in this field allow for unprecedented visualization of the tissue microstructure and enable quantitative mapping of disease-specific endogenous and exogenous substances. With these advances, optical imaging technologies are becoming powerful clinical tools for non-invasive and objective diagnosis, guided treatment and monitoring therapies. Recent developments in visible and infrared diffuse spectroscopy and imaging, spectral imaging, optical coherence tomography, confocal imaging, molecular imaging and dynamic spectral imaging are presented together with their derivative medical devices. Their perspectives and challenges are discussed.