Process, system and software arrangement for measuring a mechanical strain and elastic properties of a sample

• US 20060058592A1
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bouma, Brett Eugene, Chan, Raymond C., Tearney, Guillermo J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance

Abstract

A system, process and software arrangement are provided to determining data associated with at least one structural change of tissue. In particular, a first optical coherence tomography (“OCT”) signal which contains first information regarding the tissue at a first stress level, and a second OCT signal which contains second information regarding the tissue at a second stress level are received. The first and second information are compared to produce comparison information. The data associated with the at least one structural change is determined as a function of the comparison information and further information associated with (i) at least one known characteristics of the tissue and/or (ii) characteristics of an OCT system. Further, at least one optical coherence tomography (“OCT”) signal which contains information regarding the tissue can be received, and the modulus of the tissue may be determined as a function of the received at least one OCT signal.

Claims

1. A system for determining data associated with at least one structural change of tissue, comprising:

a processing arrangement, which when executing a predetermined technique, is configured to;

a) receive a first interferometric signal which contains first information regarding the tissue at a first stress level, and a second interferometric signal which contains second information regarding the tissue at a second stress level,

b) compare the first and second information to produce comparison information, and

c) determine the data associated with the at least one structural change as a function of the comparison information and further information associated with at least one of (i) at least one known characteristics of at least one of the tissueor an imaging agent within the tissue, or (ii) characteristics of an interferometric system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one structural change is a strain of the tissue.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second stress is different from the first stress.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the further information includes at least one of a velocity distribution of the tissue, a mechanical characteristic of the tissue, a tissue type, or a structure of the tissue.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the mechanical characteristic is at least one of a compressibility characteristic or an elasticity characteristic.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to determine the velocity distribution of the tissue based on a Doppler signal obtained from the tissue.

7. A method for determining data associated with at least one structural change of tissue, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first interferometric signal which contains first information regarding the tissue at a first stress level, and a second interferometric signal which contains second information regarding the tissue at a second stress level;

comparing the first and second information to produce comparison information; and

determining the data associated with the at least one structural change as a function of the comparison information and further information associated with at least one of (i) at least one known characteristics of at least one of the tissue or an imaging agent within the tissue, or (ii) characteristics of an interferometric system.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the at least one structural change is a strain of the tissue.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second stress is different from the first stress.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the further information includes at least one of a velocity distribution of the tissue, at least one of a compressibility characteristic or an elasticity characteristic of the tissue, a tissue type, or a structure of the tissue.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of determining the velocity distribution of the tissue based on a Doppler signal obtained from the tissue.

12. A software arrangement for determining data associated with at least one structural change of tissue, comprising:

a first set of instruction, which, when executed by a processing arrangement, configure the processing arrangement to receive a first interferometric signal which contains first information regarding the tissue at a first stress level, and a second interferometric signal which contains second information regarding the tissue at a second stress level;

a second set of instruction, which, when executed by a processing arrangement, configure the processing arrangement to compare the first and second information to produce comparison information; and

a third set of instruction, which, when executed by the processing arrangement, configure the processing arrangement to determine the data associated with the at least one structural change as a function of the comparison information and further information associated with at least one of (i) at least one known characteristics of at least one of the tissueor an imaging agent within the tissue, or (ii) characteristics of an OCT system.

13. The software arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the at least one structural change is a strain of the tissue.

14. The software arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the second stress is different from the first stress.

15. The software arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the further information includes at least one of a velocity distribution of the tissue, a compressibility characteristic of the tissue, a tissue type, or a structure of the tissue.

16. The software arrangement according to claim 15, further comprising a first set of instruction, which, when executed by a processing arrangement, configure the processing arrangement to determine the velocity distribution of the tissue based on a Doppler signal obtained from the tissue.

17. A system for determining data associated with at least one modulus of a tissue, comprising:

a processing arrangement, which when executing a predetermined technique, is configured to;

a) receive at least one interferometric signal which contains information regarding the tissue, and

b) determine the modulus of the tissue as a function of the received at least one interferometric signal.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the information includes at least one of a structure of the tissue and a composition of the tissue.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one interferometric signal includes a first interferometric signal which contains first information regarding the tissue at a first stress level, and a second interferometric signal which contains second information regarding the tissue at a second stress level, and wherein the second stress is different from the first stress.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to compare the first and second information to produce comparison information, wherein the modulus is determined as a function of the comparison information.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate a numerical model as a function of at least one of the first information or the second information.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the numerical model is a dynamic numerical model.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the dynamic numerical model includes at least one of constraints, a model complexity or a model order which are modifiable as a function of at least one of the first information or the second information.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the model complexity or a model order are modifiable as a function of at least one of the first information or the second information.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the dynamic numerical model is executed to produce further information, and wherein the further information is provided to the dynamic numerical model so as to modify the at least one of the constraints, the model complexity or the model order.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein the model complexity includes a plurality of model elements, at least first one of the elements being associated with at least second one of the elements based on weights of the first and second ones of the elements.

27. The system according to claim 21, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate further information regarding the tissue using the numerical model, and wherein the further information is associated with a response of the tissue to stress applied to the tissue.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate further data as a function of the comparison information and the further information.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to modify the numerical model as a function of the further data.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the modulus is determined based on the numerical model.

31. The system according to claim 29, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to determine strain information of the tissue based on the numerical model.

32. The system according to claim 20, wherein the comparison information is additionally dependent on further information which is at least one of (i) at least one known characteristics of the at least one of the tissue or the imaging agent within the tissue and (ii) characteristics of an interferometric system.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein the further information includes at least one of a velocity distribution of the tissue, at least one of a compressibility characteristic characteristic or an elasticity characteristic of the tissue, a tissue type, and a structure of the tissue.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to determine the velocity distribution of the tissue based on a Doppler signal obtained from the tissue.

35. A method for determining data associated with at least one modulus of a tissue, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving at least one interferometric signal which contains information regarding the tissue; and

b) determining the modulus of the tissue as a function of the received at least one interferometric signal.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the information includes at least one of a structure of the tissue and a composition of the tissue.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the at least one interferometric signal includes a first interferometric signal which contains first information regarding the tissue at a first stress level, and a second interferometric signal which contains second information regarding the tissue at a second stress level, and wherein the second stress is different from the first stress.

38. The method according to claim 37, further comprising the step of comparing the first and second information to produce comparison information, wherein the modulus is determined as a function of the comparison information.

39. The method according to claim 37, further comprising the step of generating a numerical model as a function of at least one of the first information and the second information.

40. The method according to claim 39, further comprising the step of generating further information regarding the tissue using the numerical model, and wherein the further information is associated with a response of the tissue to stress applied to the tissue.

41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of generating further data as a function of the comparison information and the further information.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising the step of modifying the numerical model as a function of the further data.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the modulus is determined based on the numerical model.

44. The method according to claim 42, further comprising the step of determining strain information of the tissue based on the numerical model.

45. The method according to claim 38, wherein the comparison information is additionally dependent on further information which is at least one of (i) at least one known characteristics of the at least one of the tissue or the imaging agent within the tissue and (ii) characteristics of an OCT system.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the further information includes at least one of a velocity distribution of the tissue, at least one of a compressibility characteristic or an elasticity characteristic of the tissue, a tissue type, and a structure of the tissue.

47. The method according to claim 46, further comprising the step of determining the velocity distribution of the tissue based on a Doppler signal obtained from the tissue.

48. A software arrangement for determining data associated with at least one modulus of a tissue, comprising:

a first set of instruction, which, when executed by a processing arrangement, configure the processing arrangement to receive at least one interferometric signal which contains information regarding the tissue; and

a second set of instruction, which, when executed by the processing arrangement, configure the processing arrangement to determine the modulus of the tissue as a function of the received at least one interferometric signal.

a second set of instruction, which, when executed by the processing arrangement, configure the processing arrangement to determine the modulus of the tissue as a function of the received at least one interferometric signal.