Patent ID: 6922246

Claim:
A macroscopic fluorescence illumination assembly for use with an imaging apparatus defining a light-tight imaging compartment, said imaging apparatus including an interior wall defining a view port extending into said imaging compartment to enable viewing of a specimen contained in said imaging compartment, said illumination assembly comprising: a specimen support surface sized and dimensioned for receipt in said imaging compartment, and oriented to face toward said view port of the imaging apparatus, said support surface being substantially opaque and defining a window portion enabling the passage of light there through, said window portion being selectively sized and dimensioned such that the specimen, when supported atop the support surface, can be positioned and seated over said window portion in a manner forming a light-tight seal substantially there between; an excitation light source; and a bundle of fiber optic strands having proximal ends thereof in optical communication with said light source and distal ends thereof terminating proximate said window portion of the support surface, said distal ends each emitting a respective beam of light originating from said light source which are collectively directed toward said window portion and into a bottom side of said specimen wherein the diffused light exits a topside thereof for receipt through said view port to view the fluorescence of said specimen.