Colley C S, Kazarian S G, Weinberg P D, Lever M J
Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ United Kingdom.
Biopolymers. 2004 Jul;74(4):328-35. doi: 10.1002/bip.20069.
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic imaging using a focal plane array detector has been used to study atherosclerotic arteries with a spatial resolution of 3-4 microm, i.e., at a level that is comparable with cellular dimensions. Such high spatial resolution is made possible using a micro-attenuated total reflection (ATR) germanium objective with a high refractive index and therefore high numerical aperture. This micro-ATR approach has enabled small structures within the vessel wall to be imaged for the first time by FTIR. Structures observed include the elastic lamellae of the tunica media and a heterogeneous distribution of small clusters of cholesterol esters within an atherosclerotic lesion, which may correspond to foam cells. A macro-ATR imaging method was also applied, which involves the use of a diamond macro-ATR accessory. This study of atherosclerosis is presented as an illustrative example of the wider potential of these ATR imaging approaches for cardiovascular medicine and biomedical applications.
使用焦平面阵列探测器的傅里叶变换红外（FTIR）光谱成像技术已被用于研究动脉粥样硬化动脉，其空间分辨率为3 - 4微米，即达到与细胞尺寸相当的水平。使用具有高折射率从而具有高数值孔径的微衰减全反射（ATR）锗物镜能够实现如此高的空间分辨率。这种微ATR方法首次使FTIR能够对血管壁内的小结构进行成像。观察到的结构包括中膜的弹性板层以及动脉粥样硬化病变内胆固醇酯小簇的异质分布，这些小簇可能对应于泡沫细胞。还应用了一种宏观ATR成像方法，该方法涉及使用金刚石宏观ATR附件。作为这些ATR成像方法在心血管医学和生物医学应用中更广泛潜力的一个示例，展示了对动脉粥样硬化的这项研究。
