"3D Camera Ring" - Novel Automated 360-degree Surface Profiling System for Small

描述（由申请人提供）：推进层析光学成像的影响可能是巨大的，因为它提供了一个工作框架，而特定的功能或分子事件可以在深层组织中定量成像，因此显着推进基础癌症研究，药物发现和医疗保健实践。先进的漫射光学层析成像（DOT）算法需要对被成像的漫射介质的边界几何有良好的先验知识，以提供光在该介质中传播的精确正演模型。迄今为止，还没有已知的技术可以自动提取完整的3600个3D边界，并具有准确和实时的体内性能。为了解决小动物成像领域的这一迫切需求，Technest公司与布里格姆妇女医院（BWH）、哈佛医学院（HMS）和塔夫茨大学合作，提出使用一种新颖的3D相机环系统进行小动物DOT成像。相机环可以同时获取动物体内的多（16）个表面图像，并自动生成动物的三维表面模型，而不是使用单个摄像机和运动平台获取动物体表的多个图像。三维模型为DOT子系统提供了精确的几何边界信息。我们提出的成像系统的显著优点包括：“对小动物（小鼠）体表进行3600次自动完全覆盖；”高速和活体成像能力；最少的后期处理；”三维表面数据与多光谱DOT成像模式的相干集成紧凑和低成本的设计。公共卫生相关性：提出的3600 3D相机环增强DOT系统代表了一种新的图像模式，对非侵入性光学成像领域的临床前分子成像有直接影响。这项研究的影响可能是巨大的，因为它提供了一个工作框架，而特定的功能或分子事件可以定量成像，从而显著推进基础癌症研究、药物发现和医疗保健实践。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The impact of advancing tomographic optical imaging is potentially enormous since it offers a work frame whereas specific functional or molecular events could be quantitatively imaged in deep tissues and hence significantly advances basic cancer research, drug discovery and healthcare practices. Advanced diffuse optical tomography (DOT) algorithms require good a priori knowledge of the boundary geometry of the diffuse medium being imaged to provide accurate forward models of light propagation within this medium. To date, there is no known technique for automated extracting complete 3600 3D boundaries with accurate and real-time in vivo performance. To address this pressing need in the small animal imaging community, Technest Inc. in collaboration with Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), Harvard Medical School (HMS), and Tufts University propose to use a novel 3D camera ring system for small animal DOT imaging. Instead of using a single camera and a motion stage to acquire multiple images of the animal body surface, the camera ring can simultaneously acquire multiple (16) surface images in vivo and automatically generate 3D surface model of the animal. The 3D model provides accurate geometric boundary information for the DOT subsystem. The distinguished advantages of our proposed imaging system include: " Automated complete 3600 coverage of small animal (mouse) body surface; " High speed and In vivo imaging capability; " Minimal post processing; " Coherent integration of 3D surface data with multi-spectral DOT imaging modality; " Compact and low-cost design. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed 3600 3D Camera Ring enhanced DOT system represents a new image modality that has a direct impact on preclinical molecular imaging in the area of non-invasive optical imaging. The impact of this research is potentially enormous since it offers a work frame whereas specific functional or molecular events could be quantitatively imaged and hence significantly advances basic cancer research, drug discovery and healthcare practices.