Multiphoton fluorescence imaging allows clinicians to identify early signs of oral cancer at its origin below the tissue surface. The high resolution required for adequate morphological assessment is only possible over a relatively small field of view, however, so an additional co-registered wide field of view, low resolution image is crucial for efficient device operation. To meet this need, we present the design of a handheld intraoral probe that includes a 0.50NA objective for multiphoton imaging and auxiliary cameras for region-of-interest identification. Because multiphoton image quality is most dependent on the high NA objective, we characterize its performance and correlate findings to expected system-level quality. Finally, we show concepts for the design and manufacturing strategy of a compact, monolithic, high NA freeform prism objective optimized for multiphoton imaging in the oral cavity.
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