August 28, 2008: CytoViva Inc., a provider of optical imaging solutions to the nanotechnology research market, has integrated new hyperspectral imaging technology (HSI) with its advanced nanoscale microscope system. This combination of technologies will enable scientists to make advances in a wide range of nano-medicine and nano-materials research initiatives.
Hyperspectral Imaging is a method for identifying the presence of materials and biologicals based on their unique “spectral signature.” By incorporating HSI with CytoViva’s nanoscale microscope system, scientists can quantitatively confirm the presence of specific nano-scale materials, with HSI capturing and reporting this spectral data within each individual pixel of an image.
A primary application for this technology includes research of nanoparticles used as a targeted drug delivery vehicle for treating cancer. With the CytoViva system, scientists can observe these nanoparticles as they are absorbed by the cancer cells and quantitatively confirm this process through identification of the particle’s unique spectral signature.
“The development of our hyperspectral imaging capability was driven by customer requirements to quantify images from their CytoViva microscope system,” according to CytoViva president Chuck Ludwig. “Now these scientists will be able to create spectral signatures of nanoscale materials as they interact with biological or polymeric composites. In addition HSI can often quantify the presence of materials not easily observed, even when using our advanced optical microscope system.”