RAMAN DETECTION OF HUMAN MACULAR CAROTENOID PIGMENTS

描述：该项目的目标是开发一种新颖的，非侵入性的 激光光学技术在老年性黄斑病变早期诊断中应用 老年性黄斑变性（AMD）是美国老年人失明的主要原因， States.本发明提出了一种紧凑、低成本的诊断装置， 最终可以为眼科和验光界提供一个 强大的新的AMD风险筛查测试。这项新技术使用了拉曼 光谱检测黄斑类胡萝卜素叶黄素和玉米黄质 人类视网膜最近的基础和临床科学研究表明， 这些类胡萝卜素化合物在保护人类黄斑 光诱导的氧化损伤。基于阶段I的结果，拉曼 技术有可能提供一种灵敏、快速、定量和 黄斑类胡萝卜素的客观光学检测。我们建议发展 拉曼仪器，在第二阶段，从现有的设备到一个 可用于临床环境中常规使用的耐用器械。而且我们 提出一系列人体临床研究，以验证其功能， 开始确立其作为AMD可能的筛查试验的作用。 拟定商业应用： 黄斑色素水平的筛查。

DESCRIPTION: The goal of this project is to develop a novel, non-invasive laser-optical technology for early diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the elderly in the United States. The proposed development of a compact, low-cost diagnostic apparatus could ultimately provide the ophthalmologic and optometric communities with a powerful new screening test for AMD risk. The new technology uses Raman spectroscopy to detect the macular carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin in the human retina. Recent basic and clinical science studies have indicated that these carotenoid compounds play a pivotal role in protecting the human macular from light-induced oxidative damage. Based on Phase I results, the Raman technology has the potential to provide a sensitive, fast, quantitative and objective optical detection of macular carotenoids. We propose to develop the Raman instrumentation, in the second phase, from an existing apparatus into a robust device useful for routine use in a clinical setting. Furthermore, we propose a series of clinical studies in humans to validate its function and to begin to establish its role as a possible screening test for AMD. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Screening of macular pigment levels.