Imaging Dental Caries with SWIR Light

摘要 这项拟议研究的总体目标是开发改进的方法，以 检测和诊断龋齿(龋齿)。新的，更复杂的 需要诊断工具来检测和描述中国的龋损。 发展的早期阶段。如果龋齿病变被及早发现，在此之前 空化，然后可以通过非手术手段阻止/再矿化。临床医生 需要使用非电离辐射来辅助龋齿的新成像技术 诊断和管理，以可靠地跟踪病变在较长时间内的进程 以确定病变是否活动和扩大，或是否已经 已被逮捕，并确定是否需要干预。短波红外光 (SWIR)的定义是来自1000-2500 nm的光，超出常规硅的范围 以传感器为基础。更长的波长为龋齿成像提供了显著的优势 病变包括声音和脱钙组织之间的高对比度，这是由于 减少了光散射和更高的吸水率，减少了 不吸收波长大于1200纳米的光的着色剂。我们假设 从1300到2300纳米的波长区域提供了新的最大潜力 光学成像设备。这项建议的总体目标将会实现 通过以下具体目标。(1)检验用光成像的假设 之前未探索的波长范围从1700-2350纳米将产生 牙冠面声组织与脱矿组织对比度增强 和根部表面。(2)检验多光谱和多模式SWIR的假设 影像检查方法可显著提高龋病的诊断水平。 (3)检验SWIR中可以使用更长波长成像的假设 通过评估空洞来提高对牙齿近表面病变的诊断 以及穿透性很深的损伤。如果这些研究和未来的临床试验 是成功的，这项新的牙齿硬组织成像技术将被使用 用于检测、诊断和监测早期龋损，而无需使用 电离辐射，从而实现保守的非手术干预和 保存健康的组织结构。

ABSTRACT The overall objective of this proposed research is to develop improved methods for the detection and diagnosis of dental caries (dental decay). New, more sophisticated diagnostic tools are needed for the detection and characterization of caries lesions in the early stages of development. If carious lesions are detected early enough, before cavitation, then they can be arrested/remineralized by non-surgical means. Clinicians need new imaging technologies employing non-ionizing radiation to aid in caries diagnosis and management, to reliably track the course of lesions over an extended time period in order to determine whether the lesion is active and expanding or whether it has been arrested, and determine if intervention is needed. Short wavelength infrared light (SWIR) is defined as light from 1000-2500-nm beyond the reach of conventional silicon based sensors. Longer wavelengths offer significant advantages for imaging caries lesions including higher contrast between sound and demineralized tissues due to reduced light scattering and higher water absorption and reduced interference from stains that do not absorb light at wavelengths greater than 1200-nm. We hypothesize that the wavelength region from 1300 to 2300-nm offers the greatest potential for new optical imaging modalities. The overall objectives of this proposal will be achieved through the following specific aims. (1) To test the hypothesis that imaging with light in the previously unexplored wavelength range from 1700-2350-nm in the SWIR will yield increased contrast between sound tissues and demineralized tissues on tooth coronal and root surfaces. (2) To test the hypothesis that multispectral and multimodal SWIR imaging approaches can be used to significantly improve the diagnosis of caries lesions. (3) To test the hypothesis that imaging at longer wavelengths in the SWIR can be used to improve the diagnosis of lesions on tooth proximal surfaces by assessing cavitation and deeply penetrating lesions. It is likely that if these studies and future clinical trials are a success, that this novel technology for imaging dental hard tissue will be employed for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of early carious lesions without the use of ionizing radiation, thereby enabling conservative non-surgical intervention and the preservation of healthy tissue structure.