基于图像弱相关的内窥式光学相干弹性成像表征技术研究

目前，我国遭受脑中风的人数达7百万，给家庭及社会带来沉重负担，颈动脉粥状硬化斑块破裂是造成脑中风的主要原因之一。然而世界上还没有能有效评估硬化斑块破裂、进而预防和诊断脑中风的方法。硬化斑块的生物力学性质直接关系到斑块破裂，目前对动脉硬化斑块力学行为的实验研究和表征还很缺乏。本项目致力于研制一套对颈动脉粥状硬化斑块组织结构和力学性质进行测试和成像的系统。由于硬化斑块组织结构和所处环境复杂，本项目拟结合力学理论分析、流固耦合数值模拟和光学相干截面扫描（OCT）及光学相干弹性成像（OCE）技术对硬化斑块的力学行为进行定量研究。研究成果中的血管内窥相干弹性成像技术（IVOCE）将是 医学影像技术上的重大突破，这套系统提供了高精度硬化斑块结构识别和定量的力学特性的影像，将为颈动脉粥状动脉硬化的起因、发展和破裂研究提供技术支持，有望为人类心血管病的研究、诊断及精准治疗提供理论支撑。

Stroke is the 1st leading cause of death in China. There are currently 7 million stroke patients, which creates considerable social and economic burden to individuals and society. One of the major causes of stroke is rupture of carotid atherosclerotic plaques.   Plaque rupture is directly linked to the biomechanical properties of the vascular wall. However, there is currently no way to determine the state of strain or stress of an artery in vivo. Thus the mechanical and biological behavior of blood vessels is not known and there is a lack of experimental studies in the mechanical properties of atherosclerotic plaques. This research aims to develop a system to simultaneously image the structure and mechanical properties of carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Due to the complexity of vascular wall structure and the complicated loading environment, numerical simulation of fluid-structure interaction, theoretical analysis, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Optical Coherence Elastography (OCE) will be combined to determine the mechanical properties of vascular tissue quantitatively. The intravascular OCE (IVOCE) technique resulted from this research will not only be a great technical breakthrough but also has the potential to expand OCT market. The high resolution structural images and quantitative material properties of carotid plaques provided by this system will be important information for the studies of plaque initiation, progression and rupture. The system has the potential for in vivo applications to aid stroke diagnosis and prevention in the future.