By I. de Kernier, PhD - First Light Imaging
C-RED 2 is a highly sensitive InGaAs camera which can be cooled down to -40°C for optimal performances, making it a great choice for fluorescence imaging in the NIR-II range. An experiment in a pre-clinical imaging context was performed to dynamically map the in vivo biodistribution of IndoCyanine Green (ICG) in a nude mouse. High quality dynamic imaging of physiological processes was enabled by the high sensitivity of the camera.
In vivo molecular imaging in pre-clinical animal models is key to a better understanding of physiological mechanisms. Over the past decades, fluorescence in the first biological window (NIR-I range, 700-900 nm) has been widely used to this purpose. Imaging further into the infrared, in the second biological window NIR-II (1000-1700 nm) yields better spatial resolution, penetration depth and contrast than visible or NIR-I fluorescence. It is becoming a key player in pre-clinical and clinical research.