Real-Time Three-Dimensional Motion Control Tracker

描述(由申请人提供)： 物理科学公司已经成功地完成了一项第一阶段计划，该计划展示了三维跟踪运动稳定的可行性。开发的系统扩展了我们专利的高速非成像跟踪器的功能，该跟踪器专门用于基于光学相干断层扫描(OCT)的诊断技术。对于眼科应用，三维跟踪器将消除目前商业临床OCT系统中使用的复杂的后处理图像配准算法的需要。此外，该跟踪系统将改进最先进的光谱域OCT(SDOCT)和光学多普勒断层扫描(ODT和SDODT)系统，用于测量最小毛细血管的视网膜血流，提高了相位稳定性和更宽的动态范围。该系统将实现前所未有的视网膜结构分辨率，通过平均数百张图像来创建斑点和降噪的复合图像，生成高分辨率的三维地图，并能够在几天、几个月或几年后返回到完全相同的组织位置。 在此，我们建议在第二阶段计划中继续开发三维跟踪器。光学装置将从工作台移到紧凑的光学头上，安装在标准的下巴支架上，用于视网膜成像。仪器同样将从实验室移到一辆小型便携式临床推车上。其他广泛的光学、电子和机械改进将使该系统易于使用，并易于对临床技术人员和研究人员进行修改。该系统将针对两种应用进行测试。首先，该系统将在人类志愿者身上进行测试，主要应用于视网膜疾病的眼科诊断，包括血流灌注缺陷，目前的技术受到眼睛运动的限制。其次，该系统将在对转基因小鼠的无名动脉进行体内成像期间进行测试，以用于识别和表征冠状动脉疾病中易受攻击的斑块的具体研究应用。由于无名动脉直接位于心脏上方，这项研究尤其受到运动伪影的干扰。第二阶段取得的进展将大大增强眼科医生和研究人员在体内诊断和治疗各种疾病方面的工具。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Physical Sciences Inc. has successfully completed a Phase I program that demonstrated the feasibility of three-dimensional tracking for motion stabilization. The developed system extends the capabilities of our patented, high-speed, non-imaging tracker specifically for optical coherence tomography (OCT) based diagnostic technology. For ophthalmic applications, the three-dimensional tracker will obviate the need for complicated post-processing image registration algorithms currently used in commercial clinical OCT systems. Moreover, the tracking system will improve state-of-the-art spectral domain OCT (SDOCT) and optical Doppler tomography (ODT and SDODT) systems for the measurement of retinal blood flow in the smallest capillaries with improved phase stability and a wider dynamic range. The system will enable unprecedented resolution of retinal structures, creation of speckle and noise-reduced composite images by averaging hundreds of images, the generation of high-resolution three-dimensional maps, and the ability to return to the exact same tissue location days, months, or years later. We propose herein to continue the development of the three-dimensional tracker in a Phase II program. The optical setup will be moved from the bench-top to a compact optical head mounted to a standard chin rest for retinal imaging. The instrumentation will likewise be moved from the laboratory to a small portable clinical cart. Other extensive optical, electronic, and mechanical modifications will make the system easy-to-use and easily modified for clinical technicians and researchers alike. The system will be tested for two applications. First and foremost, the system will be tested in human volunteers and the primary application will be ophthalmic diagnosis of retinal diseases, included defects in perfusion, where current techniques are limited by eye motion. Second, the system will be tested during in vivo imaging of the innominate artery of a genetically altered mouse for the specific research application of the identification and characterization of vulnerable plaque in coronary artery disease. Since the innominate artery lies directly over the heart, this investigation has been especially confounded by motion artifact. The progress made in Phase II will significantly enhance the tools ophthalmologist and researchers have at their disposal for in vivo diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of diseases.