Alexey Lihachev

Simultaneous recording of skin blood pulsations at different vascular depths by multiwavelength photoplethysmography

A new technique for parallel recording of reflection photoplethysmography (PPG) signals in a broad spectral band (violet to near-infrared) has been developed, and its potential for assessment of blood microcirculation at various depths from the skin surface is discussed. PPG signals have been simultaneously detected at cw laser wavelength sets comprising 405, 532, 645, 807, and 1064 nm. Various signal baseline responses to breath holding and different shapes of the PPG pulses originated from the same heartbeat but recorded at different wavelengths have been observed, indicating a depth variety of the skin blood pulsation dynamics.

Clinical evaluation of melanomas and common nevi by spectral imaging.

A clinical trial on multi-spectral imaging of malignant and non-malignant skin pathologies comprising 17 melanomas and 65 pigmented common nevi was performed. Optical density data of skin pathologies were obtained in the spectral range 450–950 nm using the multispectral camera Nuance EX. An image parameter and maps capable of distinguishing melanoma from pigmented nevi were proposed. The diagnostic criterion is based on skin optical density differences at three fixed wavelengths: 540nm, 650nm and 950nm. The sensitivity and specificity of this method were estimated to be 94% and 89%, respectively. The proposed methodology and potential clinical applications are discussed.

Imaging of laser-excited tissue autofluorescence bleaching rates

Experimental methodology for imaging of laser-excited tissue autofluorescence bleaching rates has been developed and clinically tested. The fluorescence images were periodically captured from the same tissue area over a certain time, with subsequent detection of the fluorescence intensity decrease rate at each image pixel and further imaging the planar distribution of those values. Spectral features at each image pixel were analyzed with a hyperspectral imaging camera. Details of the equipment and image processing are described as well as some measurement results that confirm the feasibility of the proposed technology.

Multilaser photoplethysmography technique

New technique for parallel recording of reflection photoplethysmography signals in broad spectral band (violet to NIR) has been developed based on fiber-coupled laser irradiation and time-resolved spectrometric detection. Differences in photoplethysmography waveforms that were recorded simultaneously at different wavelengths confirmed the depth variety of the skin blood pulsation dynamics, thus the proposed methodology has a potential for application in skin microcirculation studies.

Autofluorescence imaging of basal cell carcinoma by smartphone RGB camera

The feasibility of smartphones for in vivo skin autofluorescence imaging has been investigated. Filtered autofluorescence images from the same tissue area were periodically captured by a smartphone RGB camera with subsequent detection of fluorescence intensity decreasing at each image pixel for further imaging the planar distribution of those values. The proposed methodology was tested clinically with 13 basal cell carcinoma and 1 atypical nevus. Several clinical cases and potential future applications of the smartphone-based technique are discussed.

Influence of low power CW laser irradiation on skin hemoglobin changes

Influence of low power laser irradiance on healthy skin using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and multispectral imaging was studied. Changes of diffuse reflectance spectra in spectral range from 500 to 600 nm were observed after 405 nm, 473 nm and 532 nm laser provocation, leading to conclusion that the content of skin hemoglobin has changed. Peaks in spectral absorbance (optical density) curves corresponded to well-known oxy-hemoglobin absorbance peaks at 542 and 577 nm.

Photobleaching effects on in vivo skin autofluorescence lifetime.

Abstract. The autofluorescence lifetime of healthy human skin was measured using excitation provided by a picosecond diode laser operating at a wavelength of 405 nm and with fluorescence emission collected at 475 and 560 nm. In addition, spectral and temporal responses of healthy human skin and intradermal nevus in the spectral range 460 to 610 nm were studied before and after photobleaching. A decrease in the autofluorescences lifetimes changes was observed after photobleaching of human skin. A three-exponential model was used to fit the signals, and under this model, the most significant photoinduced changes were observed for the slowest lifetime component in healthy skin at the spectral range 520 to 610 nm and intradermal nevus at the spectral range 460 to 610 nm.

Skin autofluorescence photo-bleaching and photo-memory

Photo-bleaching of in-vivo skin autofluorescence intensity under continuous low power laser irradiation has been studied. Temporal behavior of single-spot fluorescence and spectral fluorescent images have been studied at continuous 405 nm, 473 nm and 532 nm laser excitation and/or pre-irradiation, with power densities well below the laser-skin safety limits. Skin autofluorescence photo-memory effects (laser signatures) have been observed and analyzed, as well.

Contact probe pressure effects in skin multi-spectral photoplethysmography

A novel technique ensuring parallel recording of reflection photoplethysmography signals in broad spectral range has been tested for assessment of pressure-induced vascular changes at various depths from the skin surface. PPG signals have been simultaneously detected at three combinations of the cw laser wavelengths 405 nm, 532 nm, 645 nm, 807 nm and 1064 nm. The PPG baseline responses to the probe-skin contact pressure changes and shapes of the PPG pulses originated from the same heartbeat but recorded at different wavelengths have been detected and analyzed.

Skin Autofluorescence Fading at 405/532nm Laser Excitation

Double-exponential fading of healthy and pathologic human skin autofluorescence intensity during continuous exposure to 405 nm and 532 nm laser irradiation in the intensity range 14-242 mW/cm2 has been studied on 10 volunteers of different skin types.