National Cancer Institute (source definition)
Dark Field Microscopy
A light microscopic technique in which the light that does not come into contact with the structures or details of interest is subtracted from the ocular image. This yields an image in which the structures or details are alight while the areas where the structures or details are absent are dark.
Review and references
Automated source check (NCI definition)
2026-10-19
2026-10-27
professional use
References
- NCI Thesaurus 26.09d — Dark Field Microscopy (C85837)
- Source: National Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus 26.09d, C85837. NCI definition, reproduced without modification under CC BY 4.0.
- Characterization of EUV masks multilayer defect based on neural networks and dark-field microscopy. — Opt Express, 2026-10-01 (PMID 42839413; literature)
- Machine learning-based molecular detection using dark-field observation of two different nanoparticles. — RSC Adv, 2026-07-31 (PMID 42540679; literature)
- Condensate Growth Analysis Platform for Proteins Using Ultra-Widefield Dark-Field Microscopy and Image Analysis. — J Phys Chem B, 2026-06-04 (PMID 42240196; literature)
- Visualizing Gas-Generating Catalysis at the Single-Nanoparticle Level via Dark-Field Microscopy with Multimodal Analysis. — J Am Chem Soc, 2026-10-01 (PMID 42913586; literature)
What it is
A light microscopic technique in which the light that does not come into contact with the structures or details of interest is subtracted from the ocular image. This yields an image in which the structures or details are alight while the areas where the structures or details are absent are dark.
Source: National Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus 26.09d, C85837. NCI definition, reproduced without modification under CC BY 4.0.
Source identity and definition checked automatically on 2026-10-18. No individual clinical interpretation or human reviewer is asserted.
Compliance note
Reference intervals and interpretation depend on the laboratory, specimen, method and clinical context. This source definition is educational information; it does not establish a diagnosis, product approval or suitability for an individual.
Explore more
Same category
Tissue Culture Infectious Dose 50%
A potency unit defined as a minimal dose of infectious material at which preparation causes cytopathic effects (changes in the morphology and metabolism of tissue culture cells, indicatin…
Same categoryEpsilometry
A method to determine microbial susceptibility to antibiotics in which a plastic strip impregnated with the antibiotic of interest is placed on an agar plate that has been inoculated with…
Same categoryViral Identification
A diagnostic procedure to identify and characterize a viral organism.