Agathe Puszka

Time-resolved diffuse optical tomography using fast-gated single-photon avalanche diodes

We present the first experimental results of reflectance Diffuse Optical Tomography (DOT) performed with a fast-gated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) coupled to a time-correlated single-photon counting system. The Mellin-Laplace transform was employed to process time-resolved data. We compare the performances of the SPAD operated in the gated mode vs. the non-gated mode for the detection and localization of an absorbing inclusion deeply embedded in a turbid medium for 5 and 15 mm interfiber distances. We demonstrate that, for a given acquisition time, the gated mode enables the detection and better localization of deeper absorbing inclusions than the non-gated mode. These results obtained on phantoms demonstrate the efficacy of time-resolved DOT at small interfiber distances. By achieving depth sensitivity with limited acquisition times, the gated mode increases the relevance of reflectance DOT at small interfiber distance for clinical applications.

Time-domain reflectance diffuse optical tomography with Mellin-Laplace transform for experimental detection and depth localization of a single absorbing inclusion

We show how to apply the Mellin-Laplace transform to process time-resolved reflectance measurements for diffuse optical tomography. We illustrate this method on simulated signals incorporating the main sources of experimental noise and suggest how to fine-tune the method in order to detect the deepest absorbing inclusions and optimize their localization in depth, depending on the dynamic range of the measurement. To finish, we apply this method to measurements acquired with a setup including a femtosecond laser, photomultipliers and a time-correlated single photon counting board. Simulations and experiments are illustrated for a probe featuring the interfiber distance of 1.5 cm and show the potential of time-resolved techniques for imaging absorption contrast in depth with this geometry.

Spatial resolution in depth for time-resolved diffuse optical tomography using short source-detector separations.

Diffuse optical tomography for medical applications can require probes with small dimensions involving short source-detector separations. Even though this configuration is seen at first as a constraint due to the challenge of depth sensitivity, we show here that it can potentially be an asset for spatial resolution in depth. By comparing two fiber optic probes on a test object, we first show with simulations that short source-detector separations improve the spatial resolution down to a limit depth. We then confirm these results in an experimental study with a state-of-the-art setup involving a fast-gated single-photon avalanche diode allowing maximum depth sensitivity. We conclude that short source-detector separations are an option to consider for the design of probes so as to improve image quality for diffuse optical tomography in reflectance.

Toward noninvasive assessment of flap viability with time-resolved diffuse optical tomography: a preclinical test on rats

Abstract. The noninvasive assessment of flap viability in autologous reconstruction surgery is still an unmet clinical need. To cope with this problem, we developed a proof-of-principle fully automatized setup for fast time-gated diffuse optical tomography exploiting Mellin–Laplace transform to obtain three-dimensional tomographic reconstructions of oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations. We applied this method to perform preclinical tests on rats inducing total venous occlusion in the cutaneous abdominal flaps. Notwithstanding the use of just four source-detector couples, we could detect a spatially localized increase of deoxyhemoglobin following the occlusion (up to 550  μM in 54 min). Such capability to image spatio-temporal evolution of blood perfusion is a key issue for the noninvasive monitoring of flap viability.

Time-Resolved Reflectance DOT: Experimental Results for Imaging Absorption Contrast in Depth

Detecting and localizing precisely contrast in depth is the major challenge of reflectance Diffuse Optical Tomography. We present a dedicated time-resolved instrumentation and first experimental results using a Mellin-Laplace Transform based method.

Time-resolved diffuse optical tomography for non-invasive flap viability assessment: pre-clinical tests on rats

We present a new setup for time-resolved diffuse optical tomography based on multiple source-detector acquisitions analysed by means of the Mellin-Laplace transform. The proposed setup has been used to perform pre-clinical measurements on rats in order to show its suitability for non-invasive assessment of flap viability.

Time-resolved measurements in diffuse reflectance: effects of the instrument response function of different detection systems on the depth sensitivity

We demonstrate the loss of depth sensitivity induced by the instrument response function on reflectance time-resolved diffuse optical tomography through the comparison of 3 detection systems: on one hand a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and a hybrid PMT coupled with a time-correlated single-photon counting card and on the other hand a high rate intensified camera. We experimentally evaluate the depth sensitivity achieved for each detection module with an absorbing inclusion embedded in a turbid medium. The different interfiber distances of 5, 10 and 15 mm are considered. Finally, we determine a maximal depth reached for each detection system by using 3D tomographic reconstructions based on the Mellin-Laplace transform.

Multi-wavelength and time-domain diffuse optical tomography data processing by using a material basis and Mellin-Laplace transform

In order to increase sensitivity in the depth of diffusive media and to separate chromophores with distinct spectral signatures, we developed a method to process time-domain/multi-wavelength diffuse optical acquisitions: 3D Reconstructions of chromophore concentrations are performed with an algorithm based on the use of Mellin-Laplace Transform and material basis. A noise weighted data matching term is optimized by using the conjugated gradients method without expressing the Jacobian matrix of the system. As the algorithm uses reference measurements on a known medium, it does not require measurements or computations of the instrument response function of the system. Validations are performed in the reflectance geometry on a tissue-mimicking phantom composed of intralipid and black ink and a cylindrical blue dye inclusion with a radius of 4mm located at 15mm in depth. The optical tomography setup includes a laser whose picosecond pulses are injected via an optical fiber to the probed diffusive medium and the light collected by two fibers (located 15mm apart from the source), is sent to a Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) connected to a Time-Correlated Single-Photon Counting (TCSPC) board. The source and two detectors scan the surface of the medium so as to provide 30 source-detector couples, 900 time-bins and 5 wavelength signals. 3D reconstructions performed on the black ink and blue dye materials on a mesh of around 10000 nodes show that we are able to detect, localize and determine the composition of the inclusion and the background.

Optimal arrangements of fiber optic probes to enhance the spatial resolution in depth for 3D reflectance diffuse optical tomography with time-resolved measurements performed with fast-gated single-photonavalanche diodes

Fiber optic probes with a width limited to a few centimeters can enable diffuse optical tomography (DOT) in intern organs like the prostate or facilitate the measurements on extern organs like the breast or the brain. We have recently shown on 2D tomographic images that time-resolved measurements with a large dynamic range obtained with fast-gated single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) could push forward the imaged depth range in a diffusive medium at short source-detector separation compared with conventional non-gated approaches. In this work, we confirm these performances with the first 3D tomographic images reconstructed with such a setup and processed with the Mellin- Laplace transform. More precisely, we investigate the performance of hand-held probes with short interfiber distances in terms of spatial resolution and specifically demonstrate the interest of having a compact probe design featuring small source-detector separations. We compare the spatial resolution obtained with two probes having the same design but different scale factors, the first one featuring only interfiber distances of 15 mm and the second one, 10 mm. We evaluate experimentally the spatial resolution obtained with each probe on the setup with fast-gated SPADs for optical phantoms featuring two absorbing inclusions positioned at different depths and conclude on the potential of short source-detector separations for DOT.

Realization and Characterization of an Automatized Setup for Non-Invasive Assessment of Flap Viability by means of Fast-Gated SPAD

We conceive and validate in-vivo a setup for non-invasive assessment of flap viability. It is based on Time-Resolved Near-Infrared acquisitions by means of fast-gated SPAD, analysed with a “Mellin-Laplace transform” based algorithm.