Accuracy of Diffuse Optical Tomography Using 3d camera

描述(申请人提供)：第一阶段 本文提出的SBR工作的主要目标是通过使用一种新的3D图像设备来提供精确的三维(3D)几何边界条件来显著提高漫反射光学层析成像(DOT)技术的成像能力的可行性。3D表面图像也有助于DOT系统在多光谱图像配准中的应用。新的3D DOT系统的原型将在Phase2程序中构建，该系统将2D和3D图像功能集成到单个传感器单元中，并为体内漫反射光学层析成像应用提供四通道多光谱成像能力。近红外点(NIR)已经重新成为一种很有前途的成像方式，并极大地提高了我们用光定位和鉴定组织结构的能力。然而，先进的DOT算法需要良好的漫射介质边界几何知识，以便提供准确的光在该介质中传播的正演模型。最初用于重建吸收体、散射体和荧光染料的实验DOT演示都使用了体模或组织，这些组织被限制在易于建模的几何形状，如平板或圆柱体。近年来，已经发展了几种方法来模拟光子在具有复杂边界的漫射介质中的传播，使用蒙特卡罗方法、扩散方程或输运方程的有限解或最近基于切平面方法的分析方法。为了充分利用这些复杂算法的优势，必须以实用、实时和活体的方式提取对象的精确3D边界几何。 到目前为止，还没有已知的技术来提取3D空间边界，并且具有全自动、准确和实时的活体性能。我们提出这个SBIR项目就是为了满足这一需求。该研究项目的长期目标是开发一种新的光学层析成像系统，该系统将漫射光学层析传感器/光源与实时精确的3D表面成像设备相结合，以便在进行漫射光学层析成像时几乎同时提取待成像对象的边界几何。具体而言，我们的第一阶段技术目标如下： 目的#1：开发适合于小动物活体自动实时表面成像的三维成像技术。目的#2：开发能够利用精确的3D几何边界数据的新的DOT成像算法。目标#3：构建一个集成了3D摄像机和DOT成像设备的原型系统。目的#4：进行实验以演示空间分辨率和精度的定量增强。目标5：为第二阶段工作计划做准备。 第二阶段 本文提出的SBIR工作的主要目标是通过使用一种新型的3D表面成像设备来显著提高漫反射光学层析成像(DOT)技术的成像能力和精度的可行性，该设备可以提取准确的三维(3D)几何边界和高密度检测阵列。该建议的第二阶段集中在a)在单一成像模式中将DOT测量与3D边界提取相结合，b)将DOT测量与底层边界准确地共配准，c)改善源照明特性，d)实现同时瞄准多个色团或荧光染料的多光谱成像能力。在第二阶段SBIR项目下将开发的成像技术具有以下明显优势： *新增加的自动和活体获取准确3D表面轮廓的功能。 *通过将光子探测与非常精确的位置精度结合在一起，增强了斑点成像和量化能力。*通过使用先进的来源和检测技术，增强了执行多光谱成像的能力。*更高的空间分辨率和测量信息量；拟议的3D-DOT系统设计使用冷却的CCD传感器(512 x 512像素或更大)，而不是有限数量的光纤探头(通常约32个通道)，以收集对象的光学测量。*处理DOT成像程序的效率和用户友好性。*我们在此提出了一个为期三年的第二阶段研发项目，重点是三个目标：目标#1(第一年的主要活动)：设计、建造和测试集成的2D/3D DOT系统的原型；目标#2(第二年的主要活动)：设计、建造和测试多光谱3D DOT系统的原型；目标#3(第三年的主要活动)：对幻影和动物进行广泛的测试，以评估集成的多光谱3D DOT系统的定量性能。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Phase I The primary objective of the SBR effort proposed herein is to investigate the feasibility of significantly enhancing the imaging capacity of diffuse optical tomography (DOT) technology by using a novel 3D image device to provide accurate three-dimensional (3D) geometric boundary conditions in non-contact-detection "3D DOT" systems. The 3D surface image also facilitates the DOT systems in multi-spectral image registration. A prototype of the novel 3D DOT system will be built in Phase2 program that integrates both 2D and 3D image function into single sensor unit, and provide four-channel multi-spectral imaging capability for in vivo diffuse optical tomography imaging applications. DOT in the near-infrared (NIR) has re-emerged as a promising imaging modality and dramatically improved our ability to localize and qualify tissue structures with light. However, the advanced DOT algorithm requires good knowledge of the boundary geometry of the diffuse medium imaged in order to provide accurate forward models of light propagation within this medium. Original experimental DOT demonstrations for reconstructing absorbers, scatterers and fluorochromes all used phantoms or tissues confined to easily modeled geometries such as a slab or a cylinder. In recent years several methods have been developed to model photon propagation through diffuse media with complex boundaries using Monte Carlo approaches, finite solutions of the diffusion or transport equation or more recently analytical methods based on the tangent-plane method. To fully exploit the advantages to these sophisticated algorithms, accurate 3D boundary geometry of the subject has to be extracted in practical, real-time, and in vivo manner. To date, there is no known reported technique for extracting 3D dimensional boundaries with fully automated, accurate and real-time in vivo performance. We propose this SBIR project to address this need. The long-team goal of this research project is to develop a new optical tomography system that coherently combines the diffuse optical tomographic sensor/light source with real-time precision 3D surface images device so that the boundary geometry of the object to be imaged would be extracted almost simultaneously as the diffuse optical tomography imaging is performing. Specifically, our Phase 1 technical aims are listed below: Aim#1: Develop 3D imaging technique that is suitable for in vivo automatic real-time surface imaging of small animals. Aim#2: Develop new algorithms for DOT imaging that are able to utilize the precise 3D geometric boundary data. Aim#3: Build a prototype system that integrates the 3D camera with DOT imaging device. Aim#4: Perform experiments to demonstrate the quantitative enhancement of spatial resolution and accuracy. Aim#5: Prepare for Phase 2 work plan. Phase II The primary objective of the SBIR effort proposed herein is to investigate the feasibility of significantly enhancing the imaging capacity and accuracy of diffuse optical tomography (DOT) technology by using a novel 3D surface imaging device that extracts accurate three-dimensional (3D) geometric boundaries and high-density detection array. Phase 2 of this proposal concentrates in a) integrating the DOT measurements with the 3D boundary extraction in a single imaging modality, in b) accurately co-registering the DOT measurements with the underlying boundary, in c) improving the source illumination characteristics and d) implementing multi-spectral imaging capabilities for simultaneously targeting multiple chromophores or fluorochromes. The developments in imaging technology to be developed under the Phase 2 SBIR project offers the following distinct advantages: * The newly added capability to automatically and in-vivo acquire accurate 3D surface profiles. * Enhancement of DOT imaging and quantification capacity by incorporating photon detection with very accurate positional accuracy. * Enhanced ability to perform multi-spectral imaging by using advanced source and detection technology. * Higher spatial resolution and measurement information content; the proposed 3D-DOT system design utilizes a cooled CCD sensor (512 x 512 pixels or more), instead of limited number of optical fiber probes (typically about 32 channels), to collect the optical measurement from the subject. * Efficiency and user friendliness in handling DOT imaging procedures. * We herein proposed a three-year Phase 2 research and development project that focuses on three aims: Aim #1 (main activity in year 1): Design, build and test a prototype of the integrated 2D/3D DOT system; Aim #2 (main activity in year 2): Design, build and test a prototype of the multi-spectral 3D DOT system; Aim #3 (main activity in year 3): Perform extensive tests on phantoms and animals to evaluate quantitative performance of the integrated multi-spectral 3D DOT system.