Statistically unbiased prediction enables accurate denoising of voltage imaging data

Here we report SUPPORT (Statistically Unbiased Prediction utilizing sPatiOtempoRal information in imaging daTa), a self-supervised learning method for removing Poisson-Gaussian noise in voltage imaging data. SUPPORT is based on the insight that a pixel value in voltage imaging data is highly dependent on its spatially neighboring pixels in the same time frame, even when its temporally adjacent frames do not provide useful information for statistical prediction. Such spatiotemporal dependency is captured and utilized to accurately denoise voltage imaging data in which the existence of the action potential in a time frame cannot be inferred by the information in other frames. Through simulation and experiments, we show that SUPPORT enables precise denoising of voltage imaging data while preserving the underlying dynamics in the scene. We also show that SUPPORT can be used for denoising time-lapse fluorescence microscopy images of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), in which the imaging speed is not faster than the locomotion of the worm, as well as static volumetric images of Penicillium and mouse embryos. SUPPORT is exceptionally compelling for denoising voltage imaging and time-lapse imaging data, and is even effective for denoising calcium imaging data. For more details, please see the accompanying research publication "Statistically unbiased prediction enables accurate denoising of voltage imaging data". Datasets for volumetric structural imaging of penicillium and calcium imaging of zebrafish. Volumetric structural imaging of penicillium Penicillium/penicillium_low_snr.tif --> Low SNR image Penicillium/penicillium_high_snr.tif --> High SNR image Calcium imaging of zebrafish Zebrafish/zebrafish_multiple_brain_regions.tif --> Multiple brain regions Zebrafish/zebrafish_Cerebellar_plate.tif --> Cerebellar plate Zebrafish/zebrafish_Dorsal_telencephalon.tif --> Dorsal telencephalon Zebrafish/zebrafish_Medulla_oblongata.tif --> Medulla oblongata Zebrafish/zebrafish_Olfactory_bulb.tif --> Olfactory bulb Zebrafish/zebrafish_Optic_tectum.tif --> Optic tectum Zebrafish/zebrafish_Habenula.tif --> Habenul