Analysis of Light Propagation in a Realistic Head Model by a Hybrid Method for Optical Brain Function Measurement

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is used to measure the change in blood volume and oxygenation in the brain cortex induced by functional brain activation. The development of an adequate model to calculate light propagation in the head is very important because the light is strongly scattered in the tissue and this causes ambiguity in the volume of tissue interrogated with a source–detector pair of the NIRS instrument. In this study, a two-dimensional realistic head model is generated from a MRI scan of a human adult head. The light propagation in the head model is calculated by the hybrid Monte Carlo–diffusion method to obtain the change in detected intensity caused by a focal absorption change in the grey matter or in the white matter to discuss the relationship between the depth of the activated region and the sensitivity of the NIRS signal. The sensitivity to the activated region in the white matter steeply decreases with an increase of the depth of the activated region because the spatial sensitivity profile is mainly confined to the grey matter. The contribution of the focal brain activity to the NIRS signal is determined by not only the depth of the activated region from the head surface but also the depth of the activated region from the brain surface.     

Monte Carlo simulation of light propagation in adult brain: influence of tissue blood content and indocyanine green

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), applied to a human head, is a noninvasive method in neurointensive care to monitor cerebral hemodynamics and oxygenation. The method is particularly powerful when it is applied in combination with indocyanine green (ICG) as a tracer substance. In order to assess contributions to the measured optical density (OD) which are due to extracerebral circulation and disturb the clinically significant intracerebral signals, we simulated the light propagation in an anatomically representative model of the adult head derived from MRI measurements with the aid of Monte Carlo methods. Since the measured OD signal depends largely on the relative blood content in various transilluminated tissues, we weighted the calculated densities of the photon distribution under baseline conditions within the tissues with the changes and aberrations of the relative blood volumes which we expect to prevail under physiological conditions. Furthermore, the influence of the IGC dye as a tracer substance was assessed. We conclude that up to about different 70% of the measured OD signal may have its origin in the tissues of interest under optimal conditions, which is mainly due to the extrapolated high relative blood content of brain tissue along with the influence of ICG.     

The Effect of Superficial Tissue of the Head on Spatial Sensitivity Profiles for Near Infrared Spectroscopy and Imaging

Near infrared spectroscopy and imaging have been used in measurements of brain activity. The scatter of light in biological tissue which causes ambiguity in the volume of tissue interrogated with near infrared instruments is a serious problem for near infrared spectroscopy and imaging. The heterogeneity of superficial tissue of the head, especially the presence of non-scattering clear cerebrospinal fluid, affects the light propagation in the brain. In this paper the theoretical results of the effect of superficial tissue on the spatial sensitivity profile in the head for near infrared spectroscopy and imaging are reviewed. Simplified homogeneous and heterogeneous models are used to investigate the effect of the non-scattering clear layer on the spatial sensitivity profile in the head. Time resolved spatial sensitivity profiles reveal the effect of this layer on the early and late detected light. Finally, the author presents the spatial sensitivity profiles in the sophisticated adult and neonate head models to discuss the effect of superficial tissue on the near infrared measure of brain activity bydetecting the two heads.     

紫激光辐射人肺组织的光学特性

应用光纤探测系统和自行研制的光纤探针深度针,成功实现了Ｋｒ＾＋紫激光辐射新鲜离体人肺组织体表面漫反射率和内部光能流率分布的精确测定,并利用漫射理论和加倍（ＡｄｄｉｎｇＤｏｕｂｌｉｎｇ）方法的部分结论,获得了紫光从肺癌组织和正常组织的主要光学特性参数,与蒙特卡罗法拟合实验的光分布曲线得出的结果一致秋临床实际应用提供了重要的原始参数。     

渗透剂对小鼠皮肤光学特性影响的实时动态监测

自行研制了一套双积分球系统,应用该系统对离体小鼠皮肤在渗透剂无水甘油作用下,光学特性参量的变化进行了实时监测。实验结果表明：在无水甘油作用下,随着时间的延长,小鼠皮肤的约化散射系数明显减小,吸收系数略有增加,并最终导致了有效衰减系数的减小;但当作用时间超过25min后,样品的光学特性参量会趋于恒定。为生物组织光学特性控制作用提供了新的方法,这对组织光学成像研究是非常重要的。     

OCT系统对人体牙齿组织的非失真成像深度的研究

利用基于蒙特卡罗方法的牙组织光学相干层析(OCT)成像模型,研究了不同牙组织的OCT非失真成像深度。通过模拟入射高斯光束以及光在牙组织中的传输,分别获得了单层牙釉质、单层牙本质以及两层牙组织结构的二维仿真OCT图像,与实验结果具有定性的一致性。通过分析二维仿真OCT图像所对应的一维OCT信号,分别得到了三种牙组织结构的平均非失真成像光学深度。研究结果表明,OCT系统对牙齿组织的非失真成像光学深度在150~2400μm之间,其中牙釉质的非失真成像深度要远大于牙本质的成像深度。所得的结果对于在实验中利用OCT图像对组织结构有效信息进行判断具有一定的参考价值。     

Topographic Distribution of Photon Measurement Density Functions on the Brain Surface by Hybrid Radiosity-Diffusion Method

An accurate modelling of light propagation in the head is required to develop an algorithm to reconstruct the image of brain activity. Most previous studies have calculated the light propagation in two dimensional models because of their advantage in computation time and memory requirement over three dimensional models. However, in topographic imaging, the sensitivity distribution in the cross sections parallel to the brain surface which cannot be obtained from a two dimensional model is most important to reconstruct the image. In this study, the light propagation in three dimensional adult head models is calculated by finite element method and hybrid radiosity-diffusion method. The light propagation in the adult head is strongly affected by the non-scattering cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) layer surrounding the brain. The sensitive area is shifted toward the deeper region, and is spread around the CSF layer. The intensely sensitive region on the brain surface is broadly distributed between the source and detector. However, the sensitive region does not penetrate into the deeper part of the brain.     

Comparison of Two Tricarbocyanine-Based Dyes for Fluorescence Optical Imaging

Optical technologies are evolving in many biomedical areas including the biomedical imaging disciplines. Regarding the absorption properties of physiological molecules in living tissue, the optical window ranging from 700 to 900 nm allows to use fluorescent dyes for novel diagnostic solutions. Here we investigate the potential of two different carbocyanine-based dyes fluorescent in the near infrared as contrast agents for in vivo imaging of subcutaneously grown tumours in laboratory animals. The primary aim was to modify the physicochemical properties of the previously synthesized dye SIDAG to investigate the effect on the in vivo imaging properties.     

A tunable reentrant resonator with transverse orientation of electric field for in vivo EPR spectroscopy

There has been a need for development of microwave resonator designs optimized to provide high sensitivity and high stability for EPR spectroscopy and imaging measurements of in vivo systems. The design and construction of a novel reentrant resonator with transversely oriented electric field (TERR) and rectangular sample opening cross section for EPR spectroscopy and imaging of in vivo biological samples, such as the whole body of mice and rats, is described. This design with its transversely oriented capacitive element enables wide and simple setting of the center frequency by trimming the dimensions of the capacitive plate over the range 100-900 MHz with unloaded Q values of approximately 1100 at 750 MHz, while the mechanical adjustment mechanism allows smooth continuous frequency tuning in the range +/-50 MHz. This orientation of the capacitive element limits the electric field based loss of resonator Q observed with large lossy samples, and it facilitates the use of capacitive coupling. Both microwave performance data and EPR measurements of aqueous samples demonstrate high sensitivity and stability of the design, which make it well suited for in vivo applications.     

Fundamental Studies of Photon Migration in Biological Tissues and Their Application to Optical Tomography

This paper reviews the studies of photon migration in biological tissues and its application to optical tomography which were conducted in the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory of Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry. The research subjects range from theoretical and experimental studies of photon migration in random media to the development of image reconstruction algorithms and experiments for optical tomography. The most fundamental theoretical study of the photon diffusion equation has proved that the photon diffusion coefficient is independent of the absorption coefficient while the conventional one is dependent on the absorption coefficient. Experimental studies included the time-resolved spectroscopy and the fabrication of realistic human head phantoms which have five tissue types with different optical properties. Several types of reconstruction algorithms have been developed and verified experimentally. These investigations are pioneering work in the field of biomedical optics in Japan.     

Evaluation of sub-microsecond recovery resonators for in vivo electron paramagnetic resonance imaging

Time-domain (TD) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) imaging at 300MHz for in vivo applications requires resonators with recovery times less than 1 micros after pulsed excitation to reliably capture the rapidly decaying free induction decay (FID). In this study, we tested the suitability of the Litz foil coil resonator (LCR), commonly used in MRI, for in vivo EPR/EPRI applications in the TD mode and compared with parallel coil resonator (PCR). In TD mode, the sensitivity of LCR was lower than that of the PCR. However, in continuous wave (CW) mode, the LCR showed better sensitivity. The RF homogeneity was similar in both the resonators. The axis of the RF magnetic field is transverse to the cylindrical axis of the LCR, making the resonator and the magnet co-axial. Therefore, the loading of animals, and placing of the anesthesia nose cone and temperature monitors was more convenient in the LCR compared to the PCR whose axis is perpendicular to the magnet axis.     

In VivoLongitudinally Detected ESR Measurements at Microwave Regions of 300, 700, and 900 MHz in Rats Treated with a Nitroxide Radical

A signal detector of longitudinally detected ESR (LODESR) is independent of the resonant frequency. We developed anin vivoLODESR spectrometer operating in the regions of 300, 700, and 900 MHz. Using this apparatus, we estimated signal intensities at different operating frequencies obtained from non- or high-dielectric loss phantoms that contained nitroxide radical solutions and from live rats that had received a nitroxide radical. Our result, higher signal intensities in the high-dielectric loss samples (such as physiological saline solution and animals) at a lower frequency, shows that the influence of a decrease in dielectric loss dominates over the signal reduction caused by smaller Zeeman splitting. We believe that this finding strongly supports anin vivoESR resonant frequency that tends to be low.     

In VivoLactate Editing with Simultaneous Detection of Choline, Creatine, NAA, and Lipid Singlets at 1.5 T Using PRESS Excitation with Applications to the Study of Brain and Head and Neck Tumors

Two T2-independentJ-difference lactate editing schemes for the PRESS magnetic resonance spectroscopy localization sequence are introduced. The techniques, which allow for simultaneous acquisition of the lactate doublet (1.3 ppm) and edited singlets upfield of and including choline (3.2 ppm), exploit the dependence of the in-phase intensity of the methyl doublet upon the time interval separating two inversion (BASING) pulses applied to its coupling partner after initial excitation. Editing method 1, which allows for echo times TE =n/J(n= 1, 2, 3, …), alters the BASING carrier frequency for each of two cycles so that, for one cycle, the quartet is inverted, whereas, for the other cycle, the quartet is unaffected. Method 2, which also provides water suppression, allows for editing for TE > 1/Jby alternating, between cycles, the time interval separating the inversion pulses. Experimental results were obtained at 1.5 T using a Shinnar Le–Roux-designed maximum phase inversion pulse with a filter transition bandwidth of 55 Hz. Spectra were acquired from phantoms andin vivofrom the human brain and neck. In a neck muscle study, the lipid suppression factor, achieved partly through the use of a novel phase regularization algorithm, was measured to be over 10³. Spectra acquired from a primary brain and a metastatic neck tumor demonstrated the presence of lactate and choline signals consistent with abnormal spectral patterns. The advantages and limitations of the methods are analyzed theoretically and experimentally, and significance of the results is discussed.     

How to Improve Quality Assurance in Fluorometry: Fluorescence-Inherent Sources of Error and Suited Fluorescence Standards

The scope of this paper is to illustrate the need for an improved quality assurance in fluorometry. For this purpose, instrumental sources of error and their influences on the reliability and comparability of fluorescence data are highlighted for frequently used photoluminescence techniques ranging from conventional macro- and microfluorometry over fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry to microarray technology as well as in vivo fluorescence imaging. Particularly, the need for and requirements on fluorescence standards for the characterization and performance validation of fluorescence instruments, to enhance the comparability of fluorescence data, and to enable quantitative fluorescence analysis are discussed. Special emphasis is dedicated to spectral fluorescence standards and fluorescence intensity standards.     

飞秒激光制作铌酸锂光波导的研究

针对Z切割铌酸锂晶体在中心波长为800 nm、重复频率为76 MHz的飞秒脉冲激光下,利用放大倍数为40、数值孔径为0.65的会聚透镜聚焦,研究了扫描速度和扫描次数的变化对刻写光波导结构的影响,分析了波导结构变化的原因,并测试了1×2光波导功分器的通光性能.实验结果表明:在采用横向扫描、聚焦深度为350~400 μm、扫描速度为100 μm/s和激光功率为250 mW时,获得较理想的铌酸锂光波导,1×2光波导功分器的输出功率分布基本达到均分.     

氮化硅薄膜中纳米非晶硅颗粒的键合结构及光致发光

采用螺旋波等离子体化学气相沉积技术以N₂/SiH₄/H₂为反应气体制备了镶嵌有纳米非晶硅颗粒的氢化氮化硅薄膜,通过改变N₂流量实现了薄膜从红到蓝绿的可调谐光致发光.傅里叶红外透射和紫外-可见光吸收特性分析表明,所生长薄膜具有较高的氢含量,N₂流量增加使氢的键合结构发生变化,非晶硅颗粒尺寸减小,所对应的薄膜的光学带隙逐渐增加和微观结构有序度减小.可调光致发光(PL)主要来源于纳米硅颗粒的量子限制效应发光,随N₂流量增加,PL的谱线展宽并逐渐增强. 关键词： 傅里叶红外透射谱 光吸收谱 纳米硅粒子镶嵌薄膜 光致发光     

The First in Vivo Observation of C–N Coupling in Mammalian Brain

[5-¹³C,¹⁵N]Glutamine, with ¹J(¹³C–¹⁵N) of 16 Hz, was observed in vivo in the brain of spontaneously breathing rats by ¹³C MRS at 4.7 T. The brain [5-¹³C]glutamine peak consisted of the doublet from [5-¹³C,¹⁵N]glutamine and the center [5-¹³C,¹⁴N]glutamine peak, resulting in an apparent triplet with a separation of 8 Hz. The time course of formation of brain [5-¹³C,¹⁵N]glutamine was monitored in vivo with a time resolution of 20–35 min. This [5-¹³C,¹⁵N]glutamine was formed by glial uptake of released neurotransmitter [5-¹³C]glutamate and its reaction with ¹⁵NH₃ catalyzed by the glia-specific glutamine synthetase. The neurotransmitter glutamate C5 was selectively¹³C-enriched by intravenous [2,5-¹³C]glucose infusion to ¹³C-label whole-brain glutamate C5, followed by [¹²C]glucose infusion to chase ¹³C from the small and rapidly turning-over glial glutamate pool, leaving ¹³C mainly in the neurotransmitter [5-¹³C]glutamate pool, which is sequestered in vesicles until release. Hence, the observed [5-¹³C,¹⁵N]glutamine arises from a coupling between ¹³C of neuronal origin and ¹⁵N of glial origin. Measurement of the rate of brain [5-¹³C,¹⁵N]glutamine formation provides a novel noninvasive method of studying the kinetics of neurotransmitter uptake into glia in vivo, a process that is crucial for protecting the brain from glutamate excitotoxicity.     

Infrared Optical Characterization of PLT Thin Films for Applications in Uncooled Infrared Detectors

Lanthanum-modified lead titanate (PLT) thin films have been grown directly on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si (100) and LaNiO₃/Si (100) substrates by a modified sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the PLT thin films are polycrystalline. The infrared optical properties of the thin films were investigated using infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry (IRSE) in the spectral range of 2.5–12.5 m. By fitting the measured ellipsometric parameter (tan and cos) data with a three phase model (air/PLT/Pt) for the PLT thin films on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si (100) and a four phase model (air/PLT/LNO/Si) for the PLT thin films on LaNiO₃/Si (100) substrates, and a derived classical dispersion relation for the thin films, the optical constants and thicknesses of the thin films have been simultaneously obtained. The refractive index and extinction coefficient of the PLT thin films on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si (100) substrates are slightly larger than those on LaNiO₃/Si (100) substrates. Given the infrared semitransparent metal of Nickel currently used, the absorption of the Ni/PLT/Pt and Ni/PLT/LNO/Si multilayer thin films in this study is very large around 3.0 m and 5.7 m wavelength range and decrease to 15% or 20% in the 8–12.5 m wavelength region.     

Alteration of skin light-scattering and absorption properties by application of sunscreen nanoparticles: A Monte Carlo study

We report about the results of our investigations on the alteration of optical properties of the superficial layer of human skin at four UV range wavelengths, 310, 318, 360 and 400 nm, by application of 35-200 nm-sized particles of titanium dioxide (TiO₂), silicon (Si) and zinc oxide (ZnO). The theoretical study based on combination of the Mie theory and Monte Carlo simulations reveals the optimal sizes of the nanoparticles minimizing the light transmittance for the considered wavelengths.     

Biomedical Application of an Isotope Selective Nondispersive Infrared Spectrometer for 13CO2 and 12CO2 Concentration Measurements in Breath Samples

A newly developed isotope selective nondispersive infrared (NDIR) spectrometer for the measurement of ¹³CO₂ and ¹²CO₂ concentrations in breath samples was applied as a low cost and very simple to operate alternative to isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). We used this device for several biomedical applications ([¹³C]urea breath test, [¹³C]leucine metabolism, [¹³C]methacetin catabolism of rats) and found that the results agree very well with IRMS.