Integrated multiple multi-photon imaging and Raman spectroscopy for characterizing structure-constituent correlation of tissues

Histopathological imaging of tissues often requires extensive sample preparation including fixation and staining in order to highlight characteristic alterations associated with diseases. Herein, we report an integrated spectro-microscopy approach based on a combination of multimodal multi-photon imaging and Raman micro-spectroscopy and demonstrate label-free characterization of the structure-constituent correlation of porcine skin. The multi-modal imaging allows the visualization of dermatological features whereas Raman micro-spectroscopy enables the identification of their 'molecular fingerprints'. By obtaining both structural and molecular-level information of tissue constituents, this integrated approach can offer new insight into the patho-physiological status of tissues. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America