Wearable modular high-density diffuse optical tomography

项目摘要： EsperImage是一家来自华盛顿大学（WUSTL）的初创公司，它将开发高保真、可穿戴、 光学技术超越了以前的光学神经成像和磁共振的局限性 成像（MRI）工具，为成人和儿童提供自然的大脑成像。的神经发育障碍 自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）影响一般人群中1/54的儿童，呈现高度异质性 表型;然而，核心特征是社会交际技能的发展受损，加上重复 行为和限制的利益。此外，早期的视觉-运动整合和运动模仿困难 可能与ASD患者中广泛报道的社交障碍密切相关。 由于ASD幼儿的早期干预已被证明可以改善结果，因此创新 在行为表现之前早期检测ASD潜在脑功能改变的方法 症状是推进治疗策略和改善疾病所必需的。脑电地形图 诸如功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）等方法提供了有希望的灵敏度，但对 在对清醒的、互动的和移动的儿童的研究中，由于吵闹的、限制性的 环境和对运动引起的伪影的敏感性。 光学神经成像为功能磁共振成像提供了一种潜在的替代方法。然而，传统光学系统的图像质量 技术，功能近红外光谱（fNIRS），系统一直缺乏相比，黄金 功能磁共振成像的标准。高密度扩散光学层析成像（HD-DOT）的发展， fNIRS极大地改善了图像质量，并以保真度绘制了感觉，运动和认知网络 与功能磁共振成像在整个外1厘米的皮层。尽管有这些进展，HD-DOT在 儿童的自然主义研究受到大型光电控制台和笨重光纤的限制。几 可穿戴的无光纤fNIRS仪器正在商业化，但所有仪器都有多种缺陷- 比这里提出的更低的分辨率、更强的图像失真、更小的视场或更小的信噪比。 这个第一阶段STTR项目将开发一个商业化的WHD-DOT设备， 基于光纤的HD-DOT用于儿科研究，包括神经发育障碍。长期 影响：WHD-DOT成像系统将使神经科学能够更好地了解神经系统的机制。 疾病以及监测发育中的大脑对治疗的反应。目标1的目标是开发一个强大的 模块化可扩展WHD-DOT系统。目标2的目标是在健康成人中验证WHD系统， 在典型发育中的儿童和ASD儿童中。验证将通过映射确定可行性 大脑活动的分布。这将建立一个全头WHD-DOT产品， 在后续的第二阶段建议中进行商业化开发。

Project Summary: EsperImage, a startup company out of Washington University (WUSTL), will develop high fidelity, wearable, optical technology that transcends limitations of both previous optical neuroimaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tools to provide naturalistic brain imaging in adults and children. A neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 1/54 children in the general population, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents highly heterogeneous phenotypes; however, core features are impaired development of social-communicative skills plus repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. Additionally, early difficulties with visuo-motor integration and motor imitation may be strongly associated with impairments of social communication widely reported in individuals with ASD. Because early interventions in toddlers with ASD have been proven to result in improved outcomes, innovative methods for early detection of the alterations in brain function underlying ASD prior to manifestation of behavioral symptoms are necessary to advance treatment strategies and improve prognoses. Current brain mapping methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) offer promising sensitivity yet pose significant methodological challenges in studies of awake, interacting, and moving children due to the loud, constraining environment and susceptibility to motion-induced artifacts. Optical neuroimaging provides a potential surrogate for fMRI. However, image quality with traditional optical technology, functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), systems had been lacking in comparison to the gold standard of fMRI. Development of high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT), a tomographic version of fNIRS, has dramatically improved image quality, and maps sensory, motor, and cognitive networks with fidelity comparable to fMRI throughout the outer 1 cm of the cortex. Despite these advances, application of HD-DOT to naturalistic studies in children has been limited by large opto-electronic consoles and bulky fiber optics. Several wearable fiber-less fNIRS instruments are becoming available commercially, but all have multiple deficits - either lower resolution, stronger image distortions, smaller fields of view, or less signal to noise than proposed herein. This Phase-I STTR project will develop a commercialization-ready WHD-DOT device that matches performance of fiber-based HD-DOT for use in pediatric studies including on neurodevelopmental disorders. Long Term Impact: The WHD-DOT imaging systems will enable neuroscience to better understand the mechanisms of disease as well as monitor response to therapy in the developing brain. The goal of Aim 1 is to develop a robust modular scalable WHD-DOT system. The goal of Aim 2 will be to validate the WHD system in healthy adults and in children both typical developing and those with ASD. Validation will establish feasibility through mapping distributed brain activity in untethered adults and children. This will establish a full-head WHD-DOT product for commercialization development in a follow-up Phase-II proposal.