Zhifang Li

Quantitative analysis on collagen morphology in aging skin based on multiphoton microscopy

Multiphoton microscopy was employed for monitoring the structure changes of mouse dermis collagen in the intrinsic- or the extrinsic-age-related processes in vivo. The characteristics of textures in different aging skins were uncovered by fast Fourier transform in which the orientation index and bundle packing of collagen were quantitatively analyzed. Some significant differences in collagen-related changes are found in different aging skins, which can be good indicators for the statuses of aging skins. The results are valuable to the study of aging skin and also of interest to biomedical photonics.

A model of speckle contrast in optical coherence tomography for characterizing the scattering coefficient of homogenous tissues

We present a theoretical model for analyzing the speckle contrast of optical coherence tomography (OCT). This model is based on the addition of noise and an OCT signal in the logarithmic scale. The theoretical model reveals that, for the superficial layer of homogenous tissue, the contrast ratio is a linear function of the location of the coherence gate in the sample and the slope of this linear dependence is proportional to the scattering coefficient. The theoretical model is consistent with the experimental results, suggesting that the slope can be useful to characterize the scattering coefficient of the homogenous samples.

Optical features for chronological aging and photoaging skin by optical coherence tomography

The characteristics of skins in different aging processes were obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT) single scattering model, and their optical parameters were analyzed quantitatively. Significant differences were found in epidermis thickness and attenuation coefficients in chronological aging skins and photonaging skins. These parameters can be served as indicators of skin type as well as the progress of aging. These results are valuable to the study of aging skin, and they could further help to understand the mechanism of aging.

Determination of optical absorption coefficient with focusing photoacoustic imaging

Absorption coefficient of biological tissue is an important factor for photothermal therapy and photoacoustic imaging. However, its determination remains a challenge. In this paper, we propose a method using focusing photoacoustic imaging technique to quantify the target optical absorption coefficient. It utilizes the ratio of the amplitude of the peak signal from the top boundary of the target to that from the bottom boundary based on wavelet transform. This method is self-calibrating. Factors, such as absolute optical fluence, ultrasound parameters, and Grüneisen parameter, can be canceled by dividing the amplitudes of the two peaks. To demonstrate this method, we quantified the optical absorption coefficient of a target with various concentrations of an absorbing dye. This method is particularly useful to provide accurate absorption coefficient for predicting the outcomes of photothermal interaction for cancer treatment with absorption enhancement.

Interstitial Photoacoustic Sensor for the Measurement of Tissue Temperature during Interstitial Laser Phototherapy

Photothermal therapy is an effective means to induce tumor cell death, since tumor tissue is more sensitive to temperature increases than normal tissue. Biological responses depend on tissue temperature; target tissue temperature needs to be precisely measured and controlled to achieve desired thermal effects. In this work, a unique photoacoustic (PA) sensor is proposed for temperature measurement during interstitial laser phototherapy. A continuous-wave laser light and a pulsed laser light, for photothermal irradiation and photoacoustic temperature measurement, respectively, were delivered to the target tissue through a fiber coupler. During laser irradiation, the PA amplitude was measured. The Grüneisen parameter and the bioheat equation were used to determine the temperature in strategic positions in the target tissue. Our results demonstrate that the interstitial PA amplitude is a linear function of temperature in the range of 22 to 55 °C, as confirmed by thermocouple measurement. Furthermore, by choosing appropriate laser parameters, the maximum temperature surrounding the active diffuse fiber tip in tissue can be controlled in the range of 41 to 55 °C. Thus, this sensor could potentially be used for fast, accurate, and convenient three-dimensional temperature measurement, and for real-time feedback and control of interstitial laser phototherapy in cancer treatment.

Interstitial photoacoustic technique and computational simulation for temperature distribution and tissue optical properties in interstitial laser photothermal interaction

Interstitial laser immunotherapy (ILIT) is designed to use photothermal and immunological interactions for treatment of metastatic cancers. The photothermal effect is crucial in inducing anti-tumor immune responses in the host. Tissue temperature and tissue optical properties are important factors in this process. In this study, a device combining interstitial photoacoustic (PA) technique and interstitial laser photothermal interaction is proposed. Together with computational simulation, this device was designed to determine temperature distributions and tissue optical properties during laser treatment. Experiments were performed using ex-vivo porcine liver tissue. Our results demonstrated that interstitial PA signal amplitude was linearly dependent on tissue temperature in the temperature ranges of 20–60∘C, as well as 65–80∘C, with a different slope, due to the change of tissue optical properties. Using the directly measured temperature in the tissue around the interstitial optical fiber diffusion tip for calibration, the theoretical temperature distribution predicted by the bioheat equation was used to extract optical properties of tissue. Finally, the three-dimensional temperature distribution was simulated to guide tumor destruction and immunological stimulation. Thus, this novel device and method could be used for monitoring and controlling ILIT for cancer treatment.

Detection and analysis of multi-dimensional pulse wave based on optical coherence tomography

Pulse diagnosis is an important method of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM). Doctors diagnose the patients’ physiological and pathological statuses through the palpation of radial artery for radial artery pulse information. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an useful tool for medical optical research. Current conventional diagnostic devices only function as a pressure sensor to detect the pulse wave，which can just partially reflect the doctors feelings and lost large amounts of useful information. In this paper, the microscopic changes of the surface skin above radial artery had been studied in the form of images based on OCT. The deformation of surface skin in a cardiac cycle which is caused by arterial pulse is detected by OCT. The patients pulse wave is calculated through image processing. It is found that it is good consistent with the result conducted by pulse analyzer. The real-time patients physiological and pathological statuses can be monitored. This research provides a kind of new method for pulse diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine.

Extracting optical scattering properties on the basis of phase contrast images for diagnosing stomach cancer

We combine morphological granulometry with Mie theory in order to analyze phase contrast images of biomedical tissue for cancer diagnosis. This method correlates microscopic phase distributions of the tissue image and macroscopic optical scattering properties of the tissue. Our results show that the particle size density distribution can be used to quantitatively identify morphological changes of cancerous stomach tissues. Our method can distinguish normal tissue from cancerous tissues, using the significant differences in scattering coefficient, reduced scattering coefficient and phase function. Therefore, this method can provide not only quantitative information for the diagnosis of cancer, but also accurate optical scattering parameters for photothermal therapy for cancer.

Photoacoustic imaging of prostate cancer using cylinder diffuse radiation

Prostate cancer is one of diseases with high mortality in man. Many clinical imaging modalities are utilized for the detection, grading and staging of prostate cancer, such as ultrasound, CT, MRI, etc. But they lacked adequate sensitivity and specificity for finding cancer in transition or central zone of prostate. To overcome these problems, we propose a photoacoustic imaging modality based on cylinder diffuse radiation through urethra for prostate cancer detection. We measure the related parameters about this system like lateral resolution (~2mm) and axial resolution(~333μm). Finally, simulated sample was imaged by our system. The results demonstrate the feasibility for detecting prostate cancer by our system.

Feasibility of glucose monitoring based on Brownian dynamics in time-domain optical coherence tomography

Our purpose is to investigate the feasibility of Brownian motion in time-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) incorporated with wavelet power spectrum to monitor glucose concentration in Intralipid solution. The results show that the standard deviation (SD) of frequency in the superficial layer of single scattering region, linearly proportional to Brownian diffusion coefficient, is independent of the depth. Our preliminary results demonstrate that average SD of frequency in the single scattering region is inversely proportional to the glucose concentration in Intralipid solution, since the Brownian diffusion coefficient is a function of concentration. Thus the average SD of frequency in OCT signal is capable of differentiating the glucose concentration.