Method and apparatus for optical Doppler tomographic imaging of fluid flow velocity in highly scattering media

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872695

Nelson, John Stuart ^[1]; Milner, Thomas Edward ^[2]; Chen, Zhongping ^[2]

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1. Laguna Niguel, CA
2. Irvine, CA

Optical Doppler tomography permits imaging of fluid flow velocity in highly scattering media. The tomography system combines Doppler velocimetry with high spatial resolution of partially coherent optical interferometry to measure fluid flow velocity at discrete spatial locations. Noninvasive in vivo imaging of blood flow dynamics and tissue structures with high spatial resolutions of the order of 2 to 10 microns is achieved in biological systems. The backscattered interference signals derived from the interferometer may be analyzed either through power spectrum determination to obtain the position and velocity of each particle in the fluid flow sample at each pixel, or the interference spectral density may be analyzed at each frequency in the spectrum to obtain the positions and velocities of the particles in a cross-section to which the interference spectral density corresponds. The realized resolutions of optical Doppler tomography allows noninvasive in vivo imaging of both blood microcirculation and tissue structure surrounding the vessel which has significance for biomedical research and clinical applications.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-91ER61227
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5991697
• OSTI ID: 872695
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
apparatus
optical
doppler
tomographic
imaging
fluid
flow
velocity
highly
scattering
media
tomography
permits
combines
velocimetry
spatial
resolution
partially
coherent
interferometry
measure
discrete
locations
noninvasive
vivo
blood
dynamics
tissue
structures
resolutions
10
microns
achieved
biological
systems
backscattered
interference
signals
derived
interferometer
analyzed
power
spectrum
determination
obtain
position
particle
sample
pixel
spectral
density
frequency
positions
velocities
particles
cross-section
corresponds
realized
allows
microcirculation
structure
surrounding
vessel
significance
biomedical
clinical
applications
spectral density
blood flow
highly scattering
biological systems
fluid flow
spatial resolution
flow velocity
scattering media
optical doppler
structure surrounding
partially coherent
tomographic imaging
coherent optical
measure fluid
doppler velocimetry
interference signal
/702/356/382/600/