Imaging Dental Caries with SWIR Light

摘要 这项研究的总体目标是开发改进的方法， 检测和诊断龋齿（龋齿）。新的更复杂的 需要诊断工具来检测和表征 发展的早期阶段。如果龋损被发现得足够早， 因此，可以通过非手术手段阻止/消除它们。临床医生 需要新的成像技术，采用非电离辐射，以帮助龋齿 诊断和管理，以在较长时间内可靠地跟踪病变的进程 期间，以确定病变是否活跃和扩大，或者是否有 被逮捕，并确定是否需要干预。短波长红外光 短波红外（SWIR）被定义为传统硅无法到达的1000-2500 nm的光 基于传感器更长的波长为龋齿成像提供了显着的优势 病变，包括声音和脱矿组织之间的对比度较高， 减少光散射和更高的吸水性，并减少来自 不吸收波长大于1200 nm的光的染色剂。我们假设 从1300到2300纳米的波长区域提供了新的 光学成像模式。本提案的总体目标将得以实现 通过以下具体目标。(1)为了验证光成像的假设， 在短波红外中，以前没有探索过的波长范围是1700-2350纳米， 牙冠上健全组织与脱矿组织对比度增加 和根部表面。(2)为了检验多光谱和多模式短波红外 成像方法可用于显著改善龋齿损伤的诊断。 (3)为了检验可以使用短波红外线中较长波长的成像的假设， 通过评估空化来提高牙齿近端表面上的损伤的诊断 和深度穿透性损伤如果这些研究和未来的临床试验 是一个成功，这种新的技术成像牙齿硬组织将采用 用于检测、诊断和监测早期龋损，而无需使用 电离辐射，从而使保守的非手术干预和 保持健康的组织结构。

ABSTRACT The overall objective of this proposed research is to develop improved methods for the detection and diagnosis of dental caries (dental decay). New, more sophisticated diagnostic tools are needed for the detection and characterization of caries lesions in the early stages of development. If carious lesions are detected early enough, before cavitation, then they can be arrested/remineralized by non-surgical means. Clinicians need new imaging technologies employing non-ionizing radiation to aid in caries diagnosis and management, to reliably track the course of lesions over an extended time period in order to determine whether the lesion is active and expanding or whether it has been arrested, and determine if intervention is needed. Short wavelength infrared light (SWIR) is defined as light from 1000-2500-nm beyond the reach of conventional silicon based sensors. Longer wavelengths offer significant advantages for imaging caries lesions including higher contrast between sound and demineralized tissues due to reduced light scattering and higher water absorption and reduced interference from stains that do not absorb light at wavelengths greater than 1200-nm. We hypothesize that the wavelength region from 1300 to 2300-nm offers the greatest potential for new optical imaging modalities. The overall objectives of this proposal will be achieved through the following specific aims. (1) To test the hypothesis that imaging with light in the previously unexplored wavelength range from 1700-2350-nm in the SWIR will yield increased contrast between sound tissues and demineralized tissues on tooth coronal and root surfaces. (2) To test the hypothesis that multispectral and multimodal SWIR imaging approaches can be used to significantly improve the diagnosis of caries lesions. (3) To test the hypothesis that imaging at longer wavelengths in the SWIR can be used to improve the diagnosis of lesions on tooth proximal surfaces by assessing cavitation and deeply penetrating lesions. It is likely that if these studies and future clinical trials are a success, that this novel technology for imaging dental hard tissue will be employed for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of early carious lesions without the use of ionizing radiation, thereby enabling conservative non-surgical intervention and the preservation of healthy tissue structure.