The present invention is directed to an all-
fiber-optic scanning endomicroscope capable of high-resolution
second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging of biological tissues. The endomicroscope has an overall 2.0 mm
diameter and consists of a single customized double-clad
fiber, a compact rapid two-dimensional beam
scanner, and a miniature compound objective lens for
excitation beam delivery, scanning, focusing, and efficient SHG
signal collection. Endomicroscopic SHG images of murine
cervical tissue sections at different stages of
normal pregnancy reveal progressive, quantifiable changes in cervical collagen morphology with resolution similar to that of bench-top SHG
microscopy. A device according to an embodiment of the present invention can also be used to assess other pathologies, such as
cancer.
fibrosis, and
inflammation. The present invention allows for diagnosis, monitoring of the effect of therapeutics, and surgical or interventional guidance. The present invention enables
visualization of
histology in-vivo, in the patient, and is
label-free.