Expanding the capabilities of time-resolved microscopy through computational enhancements

Confocal fluorescence microscopy has become a cornerstone technique in many disciplines requiring high spatial resolution and precise optical sectioning. Its integration with single-photon detection and TCSPC (time-correlated single-photon counting) technologies has enabled advanced modalities such as FLIM. Traditional point-detector systems or more recent systems based on few-pixel array detectors still offer the highest quality lifetime data, whereas larger SPAD-arrays promise to increase imaging speeds dramatically. While hardware advancements have received much attention, a key factor often overlooked is the impact of computational strategies on extracting high-quality information from raw photon data. In this talk, we explore how tailored data processing pipelines play a pivotal role in maximizing the spatial and temporal resolution offered by modern detectors. Particular attention is given to the added complexity when dealing with lifetime data. We present current challenges and introduce a flexible processing approach that supports a broad range of time-resolved imaging techniques.