Combined multi-channel Doppler optical coherence tomography imaging and therapeutic delivery system

癌症和非癌症的情况在不同的患者之间可能有很大的不同，限制了为普通人群设计的治疗的总体成功率。如果在这些治疗过程中存在生物相关的反馈机制，临床医生将获得一个强大的工具来提供个性化的患者护理。 一种这样的解决方案包括光学相干断层扫描(OCT)的新型成像方式，它在细胞水平上产生2D和3D组织和微血管图像。申请人之前的研究表明，这项技术实际上可以量化治疗并预测治疗结果。然而，OCT图像的穿透深度仅限于浅层解剖位置(~1-3 mm)，现有的单通道系统无法成像通常需要治疗的大片靶区。此外，治疗体积与OCT数据集的匹配对于治疗的准确实时量化非常重要。因此，这项提案概述了一种创新的方法，即使用简单的成本效益组件来开发多通道OCT系统，以便同时对多个解剖区域进行成像和监控。这项研究还详细介绍了下一代OCT成像导管的创建，该导管允许将基于光的疗法(例如，光动力学疗法、激光热疗法)安装在相同的OCT成像光纤电缆中。还将研究新的信号处理技术，以自动化和量化结构和血管对治疗的反应，以努力预测治疗结果。 这项提案中提出的工程和科学研究有可能极大地提高直接从微结构和微血管对治疗的反应中提供准确治疗剂量测定的能力。这种新的系统设计和成像方法在预测多种病理条件和解剖位置的治疗反应方面具有广泛的临床潜力，例如大脑、肝脏、前列腺、乳腺、心脏和胃肠道。

Both cancerous and non-cancerous conditions can vary dramatically from one patient to the next, limiting the overall success rates of treatments designed for the general population. If a biologically relevant feedback mechanism existed during these treatments, clinicians would be given a powerful tool to provide individualized patient care. One such solution includes the novel imaging modality of optical coherence tomography (OCT), which produces 2D and 3D tissue and microvascular images at the cellular level. Previous research by the applicant has demonstrated that this technology can in fact quantify treatments and predict therapeutic outcomes. However, the penetration depths of OCT images are limited (~1-3mm) to superficial anatomical locations, and existing single-channel systems can not image the large areas typically targeted as required for treatment. In addition, the matching of the treatment volume to the OCT data sets is of great importance for the accurate real-time quantification of therapies. Therefore, this proposal outlines an innovative approach to use simple cost-effective components to develop a multi-channel OCT system to image and monitor multiple anatomical areas at once. This research also details the creation of a next-generation OCT imaging catheter that permits light-based therapies (e.g., photodynamic therapy, laser thermal therapy) to be housed within the same OCT imaging fiber optic cable. New signal processing techniques will also be investigated to automate and quantify the structural and vascular response to therapy in an effort to predict treatment outcome. The engineering and scientific study presented in this proposal has the potential to greatly increase the ability to provide accurate treatment dosimetry derived directly from the microstructural and microvascular response to therapies. This new system design and imaging method has widespread clinical potential for predicting treatment response in a multitude of pathologic conditions and anatomical locations such as the brain, liver, prostate, breast, heart and gastrointestinal tract.