Abstract: An rotating optical device in which the angular relationship of the exit beam to the incident beam is independent of the degree of rotation of the device. Two optical elements are defined by planes that intersect at a 45.degree. angle. A third optical element is defined by a plane that bisects the 45.degree. angle. The device is rotated about the line included by all three planes. In an embodiment of the device configured as a Sagnac interferometer, the first two optical elements are reflectors and the third element is a beamsplitter. Preferably, up to eight such interferometers are mounted on the same rotating platform and with the same rotational axis, for extended spectral bandwidth. The scope of the invention also includes spectral imaging devices based on such interferometers.

Abstract: A spectral imaging method for simultaneous detection of multiple fluorophores aimed at detecting and analyzing fluorescent in situ hybridizations employing numerous chromosome paints and/or loci specific probes each labeled with a different fluorophore or a combination of fluorophores for color karyotyping, and at multicolor chromosome banding, wherein each chromosome acquires a specifying banding pattern, which pattern is established using groups of chromosome fragments labeled with various fluorophore or combinations of fluorophores.

Abstract: A color display comprising an image of all chromosomes or portions of chromosomes of a cell, each of the chromosomes or portions of chromosomes being painted with a different fluorophore or a combination of fluorophores, the image presenting the chromosomes or portions of chromosomes in different distinctive colors, wherein each of the chromosomes or portions of chromosomes is associated with one of the different distinctive colors.

Abstract: A fluorescent in situ hybridization method including the steps of (a) obtaining a chromosome spread of a species; (b) preparing a hybridization composite containing a plurality of chromosomal paints each of the plurality of chromosomal paints being labeled with a different fluorophore-or-combination-of-fluorophores, such that an averaged specific activity of highly repetitive sequences in the hybridization composite substantially equals an averaged specific activity of unique sequences in the hybridization composite; (c) denaturing the hybridization composite and subjecting the hybridization composite to conditions for allowing at least a part of the highly repetitive sequences in the hybridization composite to reanneal while at least a part of the unique sequences in the hybridization composite remaining single stranded; (d) contacting under hybridization conditions the hybridization composite with the chromosome spread; (e) washing away excess of the hybridization composite; and (d) analyzing and presenting

Abstract: A method for remote scenes classification comprising the steps of (a) preparing a reference template for classification of the remote scenes via (i) classifying a set of reference scenes via a conventional classification technique for obtaining a set of preclassified reference scenes; (ii) using a first spectral imager for measuring a spectral cube of the preclassified reference scenes; (iii) employing a principal component analysis for extracting the spectral cube for decorrelated spectral data characterizing the reference scenes; and (vi) using at least a part of the decorrelated spectral data for the preparation of the reference template for remote scenes classification; (b) using a second spectral imager for measuring a spectral cube of analyzed remote scenes, such that a spectrum of each pixel in the remote scenes is obtained; (c) employing a decorrelation statistical method for extracting decorrelated spectral data characterizing the pixels; and (d) comparing at least a part of the decorrelated spectral

Abstract: A method of in situ analysis of a biological sample comprising the steps of (a) staining the biological sample with N stains of which a first stain is selected from the group consisting of a first immunohistochemical stain, a first histological stain and a first DNA ploidy stain, and a second stain is selected from the group consisting of a second immunohistochemical stain, a second histological stain and a second DNA ploidy stain, with provisions that N is an integer greater than three and further that (i) if the first stain is the first immunohistochemical stain then the second stain is either the second histological stain or the second DNA ploidy stain; (ii) if the first stain is the first histological stain then the second stain is either the second immunohistochemical stain or the second DNA ploidy stain; whereas (iii) if the first stain is the first DNA ploidy stain then the second stain is either the second immunohistochemical stain or the second histological stain; and (b) using a spectral data collec

Abstract: A method for cancer cell detection including the steps of (a) staining an analyzed sample with at least first and second dyes, the dyes being selected such that the first dye better adheres to normal cells whereas the second dye better adheres to cancer cells; (b) spectrally imaging the sample through an optical device being optically connected to an imaging spectrometer thereby obtaining a spectrum of each pixel of the sample; (c) based on the spectra, evaluating concentrations of the first and second dyes for each of the pixels; and (d) based on the concentrations detecting the presence of cancer cells in the sample.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a spectral bio-imaging methods which can be used for automatic and/or semiautomatic spectrally resolved morphometric classification of cells, the method comprising the steps of (a) preparing a sample to be spectrally imaged, the sample including at least a portion of at least one cell; (b) viewing the sample through an optical device, the optical device being optically connected to an imaging spectrometer, the optical device and the imaging spectrometer being for obtaining a spectrum of each pixel of the sample; (c) classifying each of the pixels into classification groups according to the pixels spectra; and (d) analyzing the classification groups and thereby classifying the at least one cell into a cell class.

Abstract: A fluorescent in situ hybridization method comprising the steps of (a) providing a cell nuclei having chromosomes hybridized with at least one nucleic acid probe including at least one nucleic acid molecule labeled with at least one fluorophore; (b) viewing the cell nuclei through a fluorescence microscope optically connected to an imaging spectrometer for obtaining a spectrum of each pixel of the cell nuclei by (i) collecting incident collimated light simultaneously from all pixels of the cell nuclei; (ii) passing the incident collimated light through an interferometer system so that the light is first split into two coherent beams and then recombine to interfere and form an exiting light beam; (iii) focusing the exiting light beam on a detector having an array of detector elements, so that at each instant each of the elements is the image of one and always the same pixel for the entire duration of the measurement and so that each of the elements produces a signal which is a particular linear combination of

Abstract: A method and hardware for chromosome classification by decorrelation statistical analysis to provide color (spectral) karyotypes and to detect chromosomal aberrations. The method and hardware employ a set of N decorrelation matched filters for chromosome classification. The N decorrelation matched filters are dedicated for extracting decorrelated spectral data from chromosome samples painted according to a specific experimental protocol. The N decorrelation matched filters being described by: ##EQU1## where V.sub.ik min equals minimum V.sub.ik over all i, and V.sub.ik max equals maximum V.sub.ik over all i, and wherein N is an integer greater than two.

Abstract: A method for finding L internal reference vectors for classification of L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes of a cell, the L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes being painted with K different fluorophores or combinations thereof, wherein K basic chromosomes or portions of chromosomes of the L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes are each painted with only one of the K different fluorophores, whereas the other L-K of the L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes are each painted with a different combination of the K different fluorophores, the method comprising the steps of (a) using a multi-band collection device for measuring a first vector for each pixel of each of the L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes; (b) identifying pixels belonging to each of the K basic chromosomes or portions of chromosomes and defining the pixels as basic pixels, so as to obtain K basic classes of basic pixels; (c) using at least one basic pixel from each of the K basic classes for obtaining K basic vectors, the K bas

Abstract: A fluorescent in situ hybridization method including the steps of (a) obtaining a chromosome spread of a species; (b) preparing a hybridization composite containing a plurality of chromosomal paints each of the plurality of chromosomal paints being labeled with a different fluorophore-or-combination-of-fluorohores, such that an averaged specific activity of highly repetitive sequences in the hybridization composite substantially equals an averaged specific activity of unique sequences in the hybridization composite; (c) denaturing the hybridization composite and subjecting the hybridization composite to conditions for allowing at least a part of the highly repetitive sequences in the hybridization composite to reanneal while at least a part of the unique sequences in the hybridization composite remaining single stranded; (d) contacting under hybridization conditions the hybridization composite with the chromosome spread; (e) washing away excess of the hybridization composite; and (d) analyzing and presenting

Abstract: A method of determining the thickness map of a film (14) overlying a substrate (14). This method includes illuminating (10) the film simultaneously from different angles and analyzing spectral intensity of the radiation reflected by each point on the film (14). The analysis is effected by collecting reflected radiation from the film (14), passing the radiation through an interferometer (16) which outputs modulated radiation corresponding to a predetermined set of linear combinations of the spectral intensity of the radiation emitted from each pixel, simultaneously and separately scanning optical path differences generated in the interferometer (16) for each pixel, focusing the radiation outputted from the interferometer (16) on a detector array, and processing the output of the detector array to determine the spectral intensity of each pixel thereof to obtain a spectral intensity distribution.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing an optical image of a scene to determine the spectral intensity of each pixel thereof, by: collecting incident light from the scene; scanning the incident light; passing the scanned light through an interferometer which outputs modulated light corresponding to a predetermined set of linear combinations of the spectral intensity of the light emitted from each pixel; focusing the light outputted from the interferometer on a detector array; and processing the output of the detector array to determine the spectral intensity of each pixel thereof.

Abstract: A method of classification of pixels into groups of pixels according to their association with a single fluorophore or a combination of fluorophores selected from a plurality of fluorophores, each of the fluorophores having characterizing excitation and emission spectra and specifying excitation and emission peaks, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing a plurality of pairs of wide-band excitation filters and wide-band emission filters; (b) exciting fluorophores of each of the pixels with light filtered through one of the wide-band excitation filters, and recording emitted light intensity as retrieved after passing through its paired emission filter; (c) repeating step (b) for all of the plurality of pairs of filters, such that each of the pixels is representable by a vector of a plurality of dimensions, the number of dimensions being equal to the number of the plurality of pairs of filters; (c) using an algorithm for evaluating the presence of each of the plurality of fluorophores in each of the pi

Abstract: A spectral imaging method for simultaneous detection of multiple fluorophores aimed at detecting and analyzing fluorescent in situ hybridizations employing numerous chromosome paints and/or loci specific probes each labeled with a different fluorophore or a combination of fluorophores for color karyotyping, and at multicolor chromosome banding, wherein each chromosome acquires a specifying banding pattern, which pattern is established using groups of chromosome fragments labeled with various fluorophore or combinations of fluorophores.

Abstract: A method for finding L internal reference vectors for classification of L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes of a cell, the L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes being painted with K different fluorophores or combinations thereof, wherein K basic chromosomes or portions of chromosomes of the L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes are each painted with only one of the K different fluorophores, whereas the other L-K of the L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes are each painted with a different combination of the K different fluorophores, the method comprising the steps of (a) using a multi-band collection device for measuring a first vector for each pixel of each of the L chromosomes or portions of chromosomes; (b) identifying pixels belonging to each of the K basic chromosomes or portions of chromosomes and defining the pixels as basic pixels, so as to obtain K basic classes of basic pixels; (c) using at least one basic pixel from each of the K basic classes for obtaining K basic vectors, the K bas

Abstract: According to the present invention there are provided spectral imaging methods for biological research, medical diagnostics and therapy comprising the steps of (a) preparing a sample to be spectrally imaged; (b) viewing the sample through an optical device, the optical device being optically connected to an imaging spectrometer, the optical device and the imaging spectrometer obtaining a spectrum of each pixel of the sample by: (i) collecting incident light simultaneously from all pixels of the sample using collimating optics; (ii) passing the incident collimated light through an interferometer system having a number of elements, to form an exiting light beam; (iii) passing the exiting light beam through a focusing optical system which focuses the exiting light beam on a detector having a two-dimensional array of detector elements, so that at each instant each of the detector elements is the image of one pixel of the sample, so that the real image of the sample is stationary on the plane of the detector array

Abstract: A method and hardware for chromosome classification by decorrelation statistical analysis to provide color (spectral) karyotypes and to detect chromosomal aberrations.