How to enhance the Image Quality
	(Image scanned)		Know How 3 Steps to get a Confocal Image How to enhance the Image Quality Scanning with Mercury Lamp LSM Abbreviations LSM Glossary
	1. "More signal!"
	Change to longer pixel dwell times by reducing scanning speed Use "Average" method: Calculation of "Sum" or "Mean" value of pixels of consecutive "Line" or "Frame" scans. Increase bandwidth of emission filter (e.g. LP instead of BP). Enlarge pinhole diameter; Note: optical slice thickness increases accordingly. Increase excitation energy (laser power); But: pay attention to bleaching, saturation and phototoxic effects.
	2. "More details!"
	Use objective with higher numerical aperture (NA); x/y-resolution ~ 1/NA, z-resolution ~ 1/NA2. Increase "FrameSize"= number of pixels per line + lines per frame, e.g. 1024 x 1024 or 2048 x 2048 (min. 4 x 1). Optimize scan zoom (Z), i.e. pixel size < or = 0.25 x diameter of Airy disk (e.g.: M = 40x, NA 1.3, l= 488 nm => Z = 6). Increase dynamic range (change from 8 to 12 bit per pixel).
	3. "More reliability!"
	Use Multitracking: very fast switching of excitation wavelengths; prevents crosstalk of signals between channels; predefined configurations available. Use ROI (Region Of Interest) function: significantly reduces excited area of specimen and increases acquisition rate at constant SNR; several ROls of any shape can be defined and used simultaneously.
	LP : Long pass BP : Band pass NA : Numerical aperture ROI : Region of Interest SNR : Signal-to-Noise Ratio