Through-Intact-Skull window (TIS) Holographic microscope

2022: Device Announcement

In mid-September 2022, engineers Huazhong University of Science and Technology China unveiled a holographic microscope that creates detailed images of the brain through the skull. Scientists have studied the technique of creating cranial windows, their study demonstrated a new technique that could potentially save lives. Observing the brain without formations fractures in the skull is a new technology for those studying various brain-related diseases.

The researchers created a chronic window of optical enlightenment of the skull, called the Through-Intact-Skull window (TIS). In experiments on mice, they no longer needed to remove any parts of the skull. By refusing craniotomy and removing part of the skull, the researchers obtained a two-sided field of view to track the immune response to acute traumatic brain injury at the resolution level of one cell.

Holographic microscope created that creates detailed images of the brain through the skull

Scientists also found that their technology could be applied in most cases that use cranial windows as of September 2022. Thus, this new technology can be used in various areas of cortical imaging within the brain and has great potential in neuroscientific research.

The researchers evaluated the characteristics of the TIS window and demonstrated its imaging depth of 900 μm, the ability to resolve dendritic roots, the possibility of prolonged observation for several weeks, and suitability for awake animals. The TIS window without craniotomy has advantages over many existing methods. It is able to carry out continuous monitoring of the cerebral cortex with high resolution and on a centimeter scale, with minimal influence on the brain environment. Thus, the window TIS method has great potential for physiological and pathological research in neuroscience.^[1]

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