The design and implementation of a low-cost multispectral endoscopy through galvo scanning of a fiber bundle

In this work, we report the design and implementation of a compact, cost-effective multispectral imaging endoscope. First, a spectral image scanning system is built, by combining a micro-imaging system with a spectrometer and a galvo mirror. Then a fiber bundle is utilized to transmit the optical image of a sample to the spectral image scanning system. Through galvo scanning, a 3D spectral image cube emitted from the sample can be acquired. Thus, a spectral image scanning endoscope is achieved, by combining such a scanning spectral imaging system with the fiber bundle. This obtained spectral image scanning endoscope is low-cost and easy to fabricate. The spectral imaging endoscope can be applied to perform macro-imaging for biological samples and micro-imaging for resolution test target. From those tests, the spectral resolution of our imaging system is about 5 nm and the spatial resolution is about 26 μm. These results suggest that our system has the potential for clinical and point-of-care applications.