The Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscope (NSOM) allows spectral imaging of samples beyond the diffraction limit of traditional optical microscopes. NSOM instruments achieve this type of resolution by raster scanning a subwavelength aperture within a wavelength distance of a sample. This ability further enhances current macroscopic and microscopic near-IR imaging capabilities. In preparation for imaging LDL and oxLDL receptors as they bind LDL and oxLDL, NSOM spectral images of polystyrene can be obtained utilizing wavelengths from 1700 nm to 1800 nm generated by a tunable laser diode source. Additionally, near-IR spectra of cholesterol can also be obtained utilizing the NSOM instrument. Furthermore, image data interpretation can be enhanced and expedited through greater understanding of the near-field effects on analyte particles as gathered through electromagnetic modeling of the NSOM instrument. Specifically, Moment Method and Finite-Difference Time Domain (FDTD) techniques have been utilized to simulate the electromagnetic scattering characteristics of metallic and dielectric samples within the near-field of a subwavelength aperture. To this end, simulated images have been generated using a massively parallel supercomputer, a Convex Exemplar SPP-2000, in order to better study such effects as incident wave polarization, aperture/sample separation distance, and aperture size.