FTIR spectro-microtomography is a nondestructive three-dimensional imaging approach that reveals the distribution of distinctive chemistry throughout an intact biol
ogical or materials sample.
The method combines mid-infrared absorption contrast with computed tomographic data acquisition and with reconstruction that enhances chemical and morphological localization by determining a complete infrared spectrum for every voxel (millions of spectra determined per sample).
Spectro-microtomographic images of a human hair show absorptions of protein (red) and phospholipid (blue-green). Center, the medulla is observed to have little protein. Bottom, the medulla has higher concentrations of phospholipids.
- C. Martin et al. Nature Methods, 10: 861 (2013).