Fourier holographic endoscopy for label-free imaging through a narrow and curved passage

Ultrathin lensless fibre endoscopes offer minimally invasive investigation, but they mostly operate as a rigid type due to the need for prior calibration of a fibre probe. Furthermore, most implementations work in fluorescence mode rather than label-free imaging mode, making them unsuitable for medicine and industry. Herein, we report a fully flexible ultrathin fibre endoscope taking 3D holographic images of unstained tissues with 0.87-{\mu}m spatial resolution. Using a bare fibre bundle as thin as 200-{\mu}m diameter, we design a lensless Fourier holographic imaging configuration to selectively detect weak reflections from biological tissues, a critical step for stain-free reflectance imaging. A unique algorithm is developed for calibration-free holographic image reconstruction, allowing us to image through a narrow and curved passage regardless of fibre bending. We demonstrate endoscopic reflectance imaging of unstained rat intestine tissues that are completely invisible to conventional endoscopes. The proposed endoscope will expedite more accurate and earlier diagnosis than before with minimal complications.