News
[November 13, 2008]
OCT-navigated Laser Microtomy
With the development of the world’s first laser microtome, Rowiak has created a novel generation of microtomes. The Rowiak laser microtome LMT F14 is now available with an additional Navigation Module for three-dimensional imaging. This module is based on Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and enables 3-D navigated cutting.The Navigation Module gives full control of cutting processes and facilitates the positioning of samples. It assists to visualize the inner structure of specimens, to predefine cutting geometries, to assess the cutting quality or to measure distances. The unique combination of femtosecond laser cutting and OCT imaging makes the LMT F14 suitable for a wide range of applications in life sciences and materials research. Applications include sectioning of tissue samples for microscopic examinations as well as cutting along predefined cell layers for further cultivation. A cost- and time saving benefit of the laser microtome is its ability to cut different biological tissues in their native states.
But the LMT F14 Navigate is also a useful tool for materials processing. Possible applications are identifying and analyzing regions of interest or cutting and microstructuring of materials, such as polymers and ceramics. Even several three-dimensional cutting geometries are possible. Compared to mechanical microtomes, the contact-free cutting process prevents the structure from damage and makes the laser microtome ideal for materials research.
OCT image of pocine corne. The cut was placed right under the epithelium.