UC San Diego

SIM is one of the most widely applied wide field super resolution imaging techniques with high temporal resolution and low phototoxicity. The spatial resolution of SIM is typically limited to two times of the diffraction limit and the depth of field is small. In this thesis, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a low cost, easy to implement, novel technique called SSIE to enhance the resolution of a wide field endoscope with large DOF. Here, speckle patterns are used to excite objects on the sample which is then followed by a blind-SIM algorithm for super resolution image reconstruction. Our approach is insensitive to the 3D morphology of the specimen, or the deformation of illuminations used. It greatly simplifies the experimental setup as there are no calibration protocols and no stringent control of illumination patterns nor focusing optics. We demonstrate that the SSIE can enhance the resolution 2-4.5 times that of a standard WLE system. Furthermore, this thesis also presents a prototypic model of an external sleeve, the mechanism, and the setup used to facilitate the speckle-based imaging approach in endoscopy. The imaging results along with the time, cost and use-based specifications of the add-on are elucidated with the SOA endoscopic high-resolution methods. Moreover, a potential for a clinical translation of the prototypic add-on is also explored in this work. Lastly, in GI endoscopy, images are also affected by noise which may not be helpful to support a visual diagnosis of the mucosal surface at good quality. Hence, a non-invasive numerical method of image enhancement is examined to improve the image quality metrics as is critical in GI imaging. The proposed method is evaluated on eight datasets, the results of which are expounded to produce optimal performance, quantitatively and qualitatively over the SOA enhancement algorithms. The SSIE’s concept, its implementation, its facilitation via an external add-on, and the numerical enhancement of GI images presents a unique route to super resolution at wide FOV and DOF and other relevant image evaluation metrics as is critical in endoscopic imaging which may be beneficial to the practice of clinical endoscopy and other similar imaging fields.