Data handling in confocal microscopy

Summary form only received as follows: Confocal microscopy is, by now, a well established technique for biomedical research, offering numerous practical advantages in the study of biological specimens. These include optical sectioning, enhanced image contrast and spatial resolution and the technical advantages accruing from serial point-scanned operation, such as electronic image enhancement and processing. Many current confocal microscopes boast “real-time” (video-rate) operation, and are therefore capable of delivering 25 or 30 frames per second. If the signal levels are adequate it is possible to gather dynamic, depth resolved images from complex biological specimens, providing that the data system associated with the instrument is capable handling the high data rates. Here, the means of handling and extracting the various information available from confocal microscopic images is discussed. The techniques include 3D reconstruction, quantification with stereological tools and dynamic digital video acquisition and editing in a system from Kinetic known as Tempus, which is based on RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks) or parallel disk array technology