Near Infrared Detector for Advanced Ophthalmology

描述(由申请人提供)：一些最有用的诊断和了解致盲视网膜疾病的工具依赖于光谱反射率的使用。这些工具的改进，特别是在过去的十年里，极大地提高了我们获得极高分辨率的人类视网膜图像的能力。特别是，扫描激光眼底镜已被证明是研究微视野、心理物理学和视觉神经科学的一项重要技术，它在对锥体马赛克成像的同时将刺激传递到单个视锥细胞。由于现在视网膜成像达到了前所未有的分辨率，人们越来越需要使用更长波长的光，这种光可以穿透更深的组织，人眼看不见或察觉不到。受人眼反应和光吸收增加的限制，使用900到1100 nm之间的波长是最合适的解决方案。不幸的是，虽然有几家供应商在这个波长范围内提供了像样的光源，但没有合适的光电探测器。因此，这项拟议的研究工作的目标是开发一种从可见光到1050 nm具有特殊响应的雪崩光电二极管(雪崩光电二极管)模块，该模块将与现有的扫描激光眼底镜兼容。我们建议的解决方案利用我们的apd对近红外辐射的高响应性来开发用于眼底镜和其他健康科学的接收器模块。在第一阶段，我们成功地展示了这种方法的可行性，组装了一个定制的近红外增强型接收器雪崩模块，包括提供高达&gt；40 Mhz高增益带宽的宽带放大电子设备。该接收器随后被用于阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校的自适应光学SLO(AOSLO)。在使用它的过程中，用600到1070 nm的可调激光光源记录了活体视网膜的图像。这是第一次用信号接收器实现这样的图像。在第二阶段，我们将解决接收器模块的可靠性、制造、封装和商业问题。此外，随着接收器的发展，我们的研究合作者将继续使用接收器，以实现对活体人类视网膜的一系列重要临床研究。这些研究将包括对感光细胞进行重要的3D成像，多通道采样，以及获取照明波长比目前应用更长的视网膜图像。这些信息将用于他们的研究，以更好地了解病理性近视的发病机制。 与公共健康相关：辐射监测设备公司建议开发一种对近红外辐射做出反应的接收器模块，其响应能力远远高于目前任何可用的产品。该模块将促进新的视网膜成像技术，并让专家以更有效的方式利用现有的诊断成像仪器。作为拟议工作的一部分，该模块将用于帮助预测病理性近视的发病时间，病理性近视是一种影响全球数百万人的常见视网膜疾病。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Some of the most useful tools for diagnosis and understanding of blinding retinal diseases rely on the use of spectral reflectance. Improvements to these tools, especially over the past decade, have greatly advanced our ability to achieve extremely high-resolution images of the human retina. In particular, scanning laser ophthalmoscopy has proven to be an important technique for studies of microperimetry, psychophysics and visual neuroscience by imaging the cone mosaic while simultaneously delivering stimuli to single cones. Due to the unprecedented resolution now achieved during retinal imaging, there is an increasing need for using longer wavelength light that can penetrate deeper into tissue and is invisible or imperceptible to the human eyes. Bounded by human eye response and increased optical absorption, the use of wavelengths between 900 and 1100 nm is the most suitable solution. Unfortunately, while there are several vendors providing decent light sources across this wavelength range there are no suitable photodetectors. Therefore, the goal of this proposed research effort is to develop an avalanche photodiode (APD) module with exceptional response from the visible to 1050 nm that will be compatible with established scanning laser ophthalmoscopes. Our proposed solution uses our APD's high responsivity to near-infrared radiation to develop a receiver module useful for ophthalmoscopy and other health sciences. In Phase I, we successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the approach by assembling a custom near-infrared enhanced receiver APD module including wide amplification electronics providing a high gain bandwidth of > 40 Mhz. This receiver was then used in an adaptive optics SLO (AOSLO) at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Through its use, images of a living retina were recorded with a tunable laser source from 600 to 1070 nm. This was the first time such images were realized with a signal receiver. During Phase II, we will address the reliability, manufacturing, packaging and commercial concerns of the receiver module. In addition, our research collaborators will continue to use the receiver as it evolves to enable a range of important clinical studies on the living human retina. These studies will include important 3D imaging on of photoreceptor cells, multi-channel sampling, and the acquisition of retinal images with illumination wavelengths longer than presently applied. This information will be used in their studies to better understand the pathogenesis of Pathological Myopia. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. proposes to develop a receiver module with response to near-infrared radiation that is significantly higher than any currently available product. This module will promote new retinal imaging technologies and let specialist utilize established diagnostic imaging instruments in a much more effective manner. As part of the proposed effort, the module will be utilized to help predict the onset of pathological myopia, a common retinal disease affecting millions of people worldwide.