Fiber-bundle-based gradient light interference endoscopic microscopy

The flexible endoscope is a minimally invasive tool in clinical settings, but most of them only provide qualitative amplitude information and require puncture biopsy or exogenous staining for diagnosis. These limitations restrict their use for rapid investigation. Here, we developed a fiber-bundle-based gradient light interference endoscopic microscopy (FGLIM) in reflection geometry for quantitative phase imaging of unlabeled thick samples. FGLIM provides the phase information by wavefront modulation using chessboard grating and phase-shifting. FGLIM system features high lateral and axial resolutions of 1.2 and 8.3 {\mu}m, respectively, with a probe diameter of 2.5 mm. By testing pathologic slices and thick opaque mammalian tissue ex vivo, FGLIM identifies normal and tumor glandular structures, secreta, and tomographic skin layers. With the potential for direct morphological and phase measurement, high resolution, and thin fiber tip, the label-free FGLIM could be an attractive tool for various clinical applications.