FUNCTIONAL OPTICAL COHERENT IMAGING

• US 20110169978A1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fãdãrale de lausanne epfl (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Original Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fãdãrale de lausanne epfl (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Inventors: Leutenegger, Marcel, Maerki, Iwan, Friedrich, Michael, Villiger, Martin, Van De Ville, Dimitri, Martin-Williams, Erica, Lasser, Theo
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/102 for optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1233 for measuring blood flow, e.g. at the retina
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0048 Detecting, measuring or recording by applying mechanical forces or stimuli A61B5/021, A61B5/4884 and A61B9/00 take precedence
• 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 5/02028 Determining haemodynamic parameters not otherwise provided for, e.g. cardiac contractility or left ventricular ejection fraction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/413 Monitoring transplanted tissue or organ, e.g. for possible rejection reactions after a transplant
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a functional optical coherent imaging (fOCI) platform comprising at least one active camera unit (ACU) comprising a coherent and/or a partially coherent light source, and means for spectral filtering and imaging a selected body area of interest; an image processing unit (IPU) for pre-processing data received from an ACU; at least one stimulation unit (STU) transmitting a stimulation to a subject; at least one body function reference measurement unit (BFMU); a central clock and processing unit (CCU), with interconnections to the ACU, the IPU, the STU, for collecting pre-processed data from the IPU, stimuli from the STU body function reference data from the BFMU in a synchronized manner; a post-processing unit (statistical analysis unit, SAU); and an operator interface (HOD. Further the invention relates to a process for acquiring stimuli activated subject data comprising the steps of aligning a body function unit at a subject and monitoring pre-selected body function; selecting a stimulus or stimuli; imaging a body area of interest; exerting one or a series of stimuli on the subject; imaging the body area of interest synchronous with said stimuli and the preselected body functions; and transferring said synchronized image, stimuli and body function data to a statistical analysis unit (SAU) and performing calculations to generate results pertaining to body functions.

Claims

1. Functional optical coherent imaging (fOCI) platform comprising

a. at least one active camera unit (ACU) comprising a coherent and/or a partially coherent light source, and means for spectral filtering and imaging a selected body area of interest;

b. an image processing unit (IPU) for pre-processing data received from an ACU;

c. at least one stimulation unit (STU) transmitting a stimulation to a subject;

d. at least one body function reference measurement unit (BFMU);

e. a central clock and processing unit (CCU), with interconnections to the ACU, the IPU, the STU, for collecting pre-processed data from the IPU, stimuli from the STU body function reference data from the BFMU in a synchronized manner;

f. a post-processing unit (statistical analysis unit, SAU); and

g. an operator interface (HOI).

2. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1, wherein the operator Interface (HOI) comprises a human interface (HI) and/or a machine interface (MI) displaying the flow maps and allowing for operator control of the fOCI platform.

3. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1, further comprising an optional picture archiving and communication system (PACS).

4. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1, wherein the active camera unit (ACU) comprises a Laser Doppler Imaging System.

5. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1, wherein the active camera unit (ACU) comprises a Laser Speckle Imaging System.

6. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1, wherein the active camera unit (ACU) comprises an Optical Coherence Tomography System.

7. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1 wherein the active camera unit (ACU) and the image processing unit (IPU) comprise optical and/or optoelectronic means for acquiring concentration and/or perfusion maps for at least one wavelength range.

8. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 7 comprising an illumination with at least two different wavelengths for calculating flow maps of a oxy-deoxy-hemoglobin ratio and for performing optionally a statistical analysis and for extracting optionally significant characteristics for further medical diagnosis.

9. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1 where an active camera unit (ACU) and an image processing unit (IPU) comprise optical and/or optoelectronic means for acquiring fluorescence intensity and/or lifetime maps for at least one wavelength.

10. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1 where an active camera unit (ACU) and an image processing unit (IPU) comprise optical and/or optoelectronic means for acquirng absorption maps at specific wavelengths of endogenous spectral signatures.

11. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1 where an active camera unit (ACU) and an image processing unit (IPU) comprise optical and/or optoelectronic means for acquiring any combination of flow maps.

12. Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1 comprising at least two active camera units (ACU) imaging different body areas of interest for monitoring as time-varying signal the phase delays of flow maps or raw image data between the different ACUs and to deduce from these phase delays at least one meaningful diagnostic value.

18. Use of a Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1 in human medical applications.

19. Use of a Functional optical coherent imaging platform according to claim 1 in neurosurgery and in particular for optical functional imaging during surgery, in dentistry, diabetes, wound healing, ulcers, burns, transplant and bypass surgery, reperfusion, plastic surgery, skin grafting and grafting bed diagnosis, angiology, in particular hypo- and hypertension, neurology and brain research, diagnosis for multiple sclerosis, oncology, ophthalmology and in particular glaucoma follow-up, and/or cosmetics, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery.

13. Process for acquiring stimuli activated subject data comprising the steps of

a. aligning a body function unit at a subject and monitoring pre-selected body function;

b. selecting a stimulus or stimuli;

c. imaging a body area of interest;

d. exerting one or a series of stimuli on the subject;

e. imaging the body area of interest synchronous with said stimuli and the preselected body functions; and

f. transferring said synchronized image, stimuli and body function data to a statistical analysis unit (SAU) and performing calculations to generate results pertaining to body functions.

14. Process according to claim 13, wherein the results are statistical data overlaid on a digital image of the body area of interest.

15. Process according to claim 13, wherein significant characteristics for further medical diagnosis are extracted.

16. Process according to claim 13, wherein integrity of total image, stimuli and body function data is verified.

17. Process according to claim 13, wherein at least two active camera units (ACU) image different body areas of interest for monitoring as time-varying signal the phase delays of flow maps or raw image data between the different ACUs and to deduce from these phase delays at least one meaningful diagnostic value.