Several imaging techniques are widely used in bioanalytical sciences, each with its own unique advantages and limitations:
- Fluorescence Microscopy: This technique uses fluorescence to generate an image. It is highly sensitive and can be used to detect specific molecules within cells using fluorescent probes.
- Confocal Microscopy: An advanced form of fluorescence microscopy that provides high-resolution images by using a spatial pinhole to eliminate out-of-focus light.
- Electron Microscopy: Utilizes electrons instead of light to achieve much higher resolution images. It includes Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): A non-invasive imaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body, especially useful in medical diagnostics.
- Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI): Combines mass spectrometry with spatially resolved sampling to provide detailed chemical compositions of tissues.
