光学多普勒血液微循环测量技术及其最新进展

血液微循环的测量研究有着非常重要的临床诊断价值。现有的可用于血液微循环测量的光学多普勒技术可分为三大类:激光多普勒技术、相干层析多普勒技术和光声多普勒技术。在介绍这三类技术的基本工作原理和主要特点的基础上,简要分析了各类中最具代表性的前沿技术,分别为激光多普勒宽场实时成像技术、光学相干层析多普勒微血管造影术和光声多普勒流速测量技术。对这些前沿技术的进一步发展和实际应用进行了展望。     

利用变迹术和相干门相结合实现光学相干层析成像术轴向超分辨

光学相十层析成像（光学相干层析成像术）的轴向分辨力由光源带宽和探测光束的聚焦条件共同决定。提高光学相干层析成像术轴向分辨力的方法主要基于带宽光源技术。提出了一种将变迹术与光学相十层析成像术相干门有机结合的方法来提高其轴向分辨力。通过适当形式的光瞳滤波器．使光学相干层析成像术系统轴向响应的主瓣宽度缩小到相干门之内,而其旁瓣则处于相干门之外．不对相干成像产生有效贡献。这样．就能在光源带宽不变的条件下,有效提高光学相十层析成像术的轴向分辨力,避免了采用宽带光源所带来的费用昂贵和系统复杂等缺陷。     

光纤型光学相干层析成像系统的研制

光学相干层析(OCT)成像技术是一新近发展的高分辨力生物医学成像手段,能非侵入性地对活体内部的结构与生理功能进行可视化观察。采用宽带近红外光源,基于迈克耳孙干涉原理和外差探测方法,建立了单模光纤型光学相干层析成像系统,相干地提取从生物体内部返回的深度分辨的弹性散射光信息,并依此构筑了自然状态下活体组织的二维光学相干层析成像图像和三维光学相干层析成像图像。光纤化设计的光学相干层析成像系统紧凑、灵活,便于与光纤导管、内窥镜和其它成像装置的有机结合,以拓展其观察范围和应用领域。     

双光栅快速扫描光学延迟线的色散补偿

光学相干层析成像(OCT)系统的纵向分辨力不仅与光源的带宽有关,而且与系统中两干涉臂间的色散匹配有关。如果色散没有得到精确匹配,将使光学相干层析成像系统的纵向分辨力达不到所预期的理论值。色散问题在超高分辨光学相干层析成像系统中尤为突出。提出了一种基于双光栅快速扫描光学延迟线(RSOD),用于光学相干层析成像系统的色散补偿。该方法中新增的光栅引入了光栅间距这一独立变量,其与常规单光栅快速扫描光学延迟线机构中的光栅离焦量一起,可使光学相干层析成像系统中的群速度色散(GVD)和三阶色散(TOD)同时得到补偿。分析了双光栅快速扫描光学延迟线的色散特性和色散调节原则,并提供了一个典型光学相干层析成像系统中的色散补偿实例。     

早期骨性关节炎的光学成像检测技术(英文)

介绍了光学相干层析成像技术、扩散光学层析成像技术和光声层析成像技术3种早期骨性关节炎光学成像检测技术.和X线平片常规影像诊断技术相比,光学相干层析成像技术可测量软骨的厚度,检测胶原结构的微小变化;扩散光学层析成像技术能测量软骨、滑液等结构的厚度和相应的吸收系数和散射系数;光声层析成像技术可探测胶原纤维网的恶化、变浑浊的滑液、骨的代谢功能障碍和软骨下骨的代谢过旺.最后对这3种成像检测技术的应用前景及早期骨性关节炎检测方法作了简要展望.     

提高光学相干层析成像纵向分辨率的方法

光学相干层析成像技术是一种新型的成像技术，能实现对活体生物组织（透明和不透明）非接触、无伤害、高分辨率的体内断面成像。光学相干层析成像利用相干门技术，其纵向分辨率取决于光源的相干长度，要进一步提高它的纵向分辨率必须从光源入手，本文对采用不同光源提高光学相干层析成像纵向分辨率的方法进行了详细的讨论。     

光学多普勒层析三维矢量测速方法研究

光学多普勒层析术(ODT)是一种高分辨、非侵入的生物医学成像手段,能同时得到组织的结构信息和组织内血管的流速信息.提出了一种新型的基于相位分辨技术的ODT三维矢量测速方法.在ODT系统样品臂的准直镜和聚焦透镜之间加入窄带相位片,形成三个不同的相位延迟,通过计算多普勒频移和不同相位延迟下的多普勒展宽,可得到毛细管内的三维矢量流场分布.对已知浓度的聚苯乙烯溶液进行了一系列不同角度和不同流速的实验,结果证明这种新型的ODT矢量测速方法可以较精确的实现三维矢量流速的测量.     

光学相干断层扫描成像新技术OCT

光学相干层析成像技术（optical coherence tomography,简称OCT）是一种新型成像方法,在生物医学和材料等许多领域有广泛的应用。本文介绍了OCT的基本原理,并给出了用该装置对生物组织样品的成像结果。此外还用计算机图像处理的方法,使得图像分辨率得到了进一步提高。     

基于拉锥结构的全光纤型内窥OCT探针研究

本文报道了一种基于拉锥结构的全光纤型内窥光学相干层析成像探针. 基于大纤芯多模光纤的低光束发散特性, 使用大纤芯多模光纤代替透镜作为成像元件, 并在单模光纤与大纤芯多模光纤之间引入过渡拉锥段以减少插入损耗. 首先利用光学仿真软件(Rsoft)确定探针的最佳结构, 然后通过拉锥、切割以及熔接工艺实现探针制作, 并对探针的出射光束特性与插入损耗进行测量, 最后将该探针与扫频光学相干层析成像主系统联机, 对人体指尖皮肤及鸡气管壁组织进行成像. 该探针直径为250 μm, 不锈钢保护管外径为325 μm, 硬端长度1 cm, 插入损耗约为0.3 dB, 空气中有效成像范围达800 μm. 该探针为内窥光学相干层析成像技术在心血管疾病的应用提供了高紧凑度、高传输效率与高灵活性的选择.     

新型成像技术的实验系统研究

光学相干层析成像是一种新型成像技术。超辐射发光二极管和超短脉冲飞秒激光是能满足成像系统要求的理想光源。在开展光学相干层析相关技术研究的基础上 ,建立了国内第一台上述两种光源的成像实验研究装置 ,对系统的横向、纵向分辨率等基本性能进行了测定 ;并对多种实际样品进行了层析成像。     

Noninvasive imaging of in vivo blood flow velocity using optical Doppler tomography

We report the development of an optical technique for noninvasive imaging of in vivo blood flow dynamics and tissue structures with high spatial resolution (2-10 microm) in biological systems. The technique is based on optical Doppler tomography (ODT), which combines Doppler velocimetry with optical coherence tomography to measure blood flow velocity at discrete spatial locations. The exceptionally high resolution of ODT permits noninvasive in vivo imaging of both blood microcirculation and tissue structures surrounding the vessel, which has significance for biomedical research and clinical applications. Tomographic imaging of in vivo blood flow velocity in the chick chorioallantoic membrane and in rodent skin is demonstrated.     

Study on cerebral microcirculation by Optical Doppler Tomography

Optical Doppler Tomography (ODT) provides a novel method to measure the blood flow velocity in vessels with the diameter at micrometer scale. Rats with cranial window are used as a model, and the changes in the blood flow velocity of cerebral arterioles in sensory cortex are measured in real time with an established ODT system, under electrical stimulation and drug administration. The results show significant differences in the blood flow velocity between experimental groups and control groups, demonstrating the feasibility of ODT in the cerebral microcirculation study. Compared with the conventional Doppler ultrasound, ODT provides much higher spatial resolution, and thus holds a promising future in the application of the cerebral microcirculation study, especially in the observation of the blood flow velocity in micrometer scale vessels. Supported by the National Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China (863 Program)(Grant No. 2006AA02Z4E0), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 60378041, 60478040, 60878057 and 30770685), the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (Grant No. NCET-04-0528), and the Opening Project of MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, South China Normal University     

Simultaneous measurement of flow velocity and Doppler angle by the use of Doppler optical coherence tomography

Monitoring blood flow velocity could have great value for biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. One of current restrictions to determine flow velocity by the use of Doppler optical coherence tomography (Doppler OCT) is that the Doppler angle should be predefined. However, from a practical point of view, it is not easy to predetermine Doppler angle for a flow beneath the tissue surface. In this work, a novel method for measuring both flow velocity and Doppler angle simultaneously by the use of Doppler OCT is proposed and demonstrated. Based on Doppler spectrum analysis, this technique measures both longitudinal and transverse components of flow velocity by detecting its Doppler shift and Doppler bandwidth to determine velocity and Doppler angle simultaneously. Such a technique extends flow velocity measurement into a broadening practical use of Doppler OCT where Doppler angle would not need to be predefined, for example, blood flow beneath the tissue surface. Therefore, with this technique, Doppler OCT could be applied to more practical diagnoses of microcirculation.     

Phase-resolved optical coherence tomography and optical Doppler tomography for imaging blood flow in human skin with fast scanning speed and high velocity sensitivity

We have developed a novel phase-resolved optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical Doppler tomography (ODT) system that uses phase information derived from a Hilbert transformation to image blood flow in human skin with fast scanning speed and high velocity sensitivity. Using the phase change between sequential scans to construct flow-velocity imaging, this technique decouples spatial resolution and velocity sensitivity in flow images and increases imaging speed by more than 2 orders of magnitude without compromising spatial resolution or velocity sensitivity. The minimum flow velocity that can be detected with an axial-line scanning speed of 400 Hz and an average phase change over eight sequential scans is as low as 10 microm/s, while a spatial resolution of 10 microm is maintained. Using this technique, we present what are to our knowledge the first phase-resolved OCT/ODT images of blood flow in human skin.     

Cerebral blood flow imaged with ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence angiography and Doppler tomography

Speckle contrast based optical coherence angiography (OCA) and optical coherence Doppler tomography (ODT) have been applied to image cerebral blood flow previously. However, the contrast mechanisms of these two methods are not fully studied. Here, we present both flow phantom and in vivo animal experiments using ultrahigh-resolution OCA (μOCA) and ODT (μODT) to investigate the flow sensitivity differences between these two methods. Our results show that the high sensitivity of μOCA for visualizing minute vasculature (e.g., slow capillary beds) is due to the enhancement by random Brownian motion of scatterers (e.g., red and white blood cells) within the vessels; whereas, μODT permits detection of directional flow below the Brownian motion regime (e.g., laser-induced microischemia) and is, therefore, more suitable for brain functional imaging.     

Optical Doppler tomographic imaging of fluid flow velocity in highly scattering media

An optical Doppler tomography (ODT) system that permits imaging of fluid flow velocity in highly scattering media is described. ODT combines Doppler velocimetry with the high spatial resolution of low-coherence optical interferometry to measure fluid flow velocity at discrete spatial locations. Tomographic imaging of particle flow velocity within a circular conduit submerged 1 mm below the surface in a highly scattering phantom of Intralipid is demonstrated.     

Hemoglobin contrast in magnetomotive optical Doppler tomography

We introduce a novel contrast mechanism for imaging blood flow by use of magnetomotive optical Doppler tomography (MM-ODT), which combines an externally applied temporally oscillating high-strength magnetic field with ODT to detect erythrocytes moving according to the field gradient. Hemoglobin contrast was demonstrated in a capillary tube filled with moving blood by imaging the Doppler frequency shift, which was observed independently of blood flow rate and direction. Results suggest that MM-ODT may be a promising technique with which to image blood flow.     

Higher-order cross-correlation-based Doppler optical coherence tomography

A method based on higher-order cross-correlation is proposed to fetch the Doppler information on flow velocity within areas under low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by spectral domain optical coherence tomography. The proposed method is theoretically developed and validated by measurement of a moving mirror with known velocities. Standard deviations of flow velocities of the mirror under different SNRs are determined by the proposed method and compared with those by the modified phase-resolved method. Measurement of flowing particles within a glass capillary is also conducted, and Doppler flow velocity maps of the glass capillary are reconstructed by both methods. All experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can significantly suppress noise, thus rendering it suitable for flow measurement under low SNR cases.     

Doppler standard deviation imaging for clinical monitoring of in vivo human skin blood flow

We used a novel phase-resolved optical Doppler tomographic (ODT) technique with very high flow-velocity sensitivity (10microm/s) and high spatial resolution (10microm) to image blood flow in port-wine stain (PWS) birthmarks in human skin. In addition to the regular ODT velocity and structural images, we use the variance of blood flow velocity to map the PWS vessels. Our device combines ODT and therapeutic systems such that PWS blood flow can be monitored in situ before and after laser treatment. To the authors' knowledge this is the first clinical application of ODT to provide a fast semiquantitative evaluation of the efficacy of PWS laser therapy in situ and in real time.