Translational and Brownian motion in laser-Doppler flowmetry of large tissue volumes

Dynamic evaluation of blood flow microcirculation by combined use of the laser Doppler flowmetry and high-speed videocapillaroscopy methods

The dynamic light scattering methods are widely used in biomedical diagnostics involving evaluation of blood flow. However, there exist some difficulties in quantitative interpretation of backscattered light signals from the viewpoint of diagnostic information. This study considers the application of the high-speed videocapillaroscopy (VCS) method that provides the direct measurement of the red blood cells (RBCs) velocity into a capillary. The VCS signal presents true oscillation nature of backscattered light caused by moving RBCs. Thus, the VCS signal can be assigned as a reference one with respect to more complicated signals like in laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). An essential correlation between blood flow velocity oscillations in a separate human capillary and the integral perfusion estimate obtained by the LDF method has been found. The observation of blood flow by the VCS method during upper arm occlusion has shown emergence of the reverse blood flow effect in capillaries that corresponds to the biological zero signal in the LDF. The reverse blood flow effect has to be taken into account in interpretation of LDF signals.

Comparison of NIRS, laser Doppler flowmetry, photoplethysmography, and pulse oximetry during vascular occlusion challenges

Monitoring changes in blood volume, blood flow, and oxygenation in tissues is of vital importance in fields such as reconstructive surgery and trauma medicine. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), laser Doppler (LDF) flowmetry, photoplethysmography (PPG), and pulse oximetry (PO) contribute to such fields due to their safe and noninvasive nature. However, the techniques have been rarely investigated simultaneously or altogether. The aim of this study was to investigate all the techniques simultaneously on healthy subjects during vascular occlusion challenges. Sensors were attached on the forearm (NIRS and LDF) and fingers (PPG and PO) of 19 healthy volunteers. Different degrees of vascular occlusion were induced by inflating a pressure cuff on the upper arm. The responses of tissue oxygenation index (NIRS), tissue haemoglobin index (NIRS), flux (LDF), perfusion index (PPG), and arterial oxygen saturation (PO) have been recorded and analyzed. Moreover, the optical densities were calculated from slow varying dc PPG, in order to distinguish changes in venous blood volumes. The indexes showed significant changes (p  <  0.05) in almost all occlusions, either venous or over-systolic occlusions. However, differentiation between venous and arterial occlusion by LDF may be challenging and the perfusion index (PI) may not be adequate to indicate venous occlusions. Optical densities may be an additional tool to detect venous occlusions by PPG.

Time-domain algorithm for single-photon laser-Doppler flowmetry at large interoptode spacing in human bone

A new laser-Doppler flowmeter at large interoptode spacing, based on single-photon counting (single-photon laser-Doppler flowmetry [SP-LDF]) and allowing assessment of blood flow deep in bone tissue, is proposed and implemented. To exploit the advantages of the new SP-LDF hardware, a dedicated simple and efficient time-domain algorithm has been developed. The new algorithm is based on the zero-order moment of the power density spectrum of the ad hoc prefiltered photoelectric current. The SP-LDF has been validated by Monte Carlo simulations, as well as by experimental measurements on a bone tissue phantom for optical flowmeters and on human.

Bone tissue phantoms for optical flowmeters at large interoptode spacing generated by 3D-stereolithography

A bone tissue phantom prototype allowing to test, in general, optical flowmeters at large interoptode spacings, such as laser-Doppler flowmetry or diffuse correlation spectroscopy, has been developed by 3D-stereolithography technique. It has been demonstrated that complex tissue vascular systems of any geometrical shape can be conceived. Absorption coefficient, reduced scattering coefficient and refractive index of the optical phantom have been measured to ensure that the optical parameters reasonably reproduce real human bone tissue in vivo. An experimental demonstration of a possible use of the optical phantom, utilizing a laser-Doppler flowmeter, is also presented.

Influence of light source-detector spacing on shape of probability density functions of scattering angles in laser Doppler flowmetry

Analytical models, describing laser Doppler flowmetry and its derived applications, are based on fundamental assumptions of photon scattering angles. It is shown by means of Monte Carlo simulations that, even in the case these assumptions are correct, the presence of a specific source-detector configuration may bias the shape of the probability density functions describing scattering angle behavior. It is found that these biased shapes are generated by selective filtering of photons induced by a particular source-detector configuration. In some specific cases, this phenomenon might invalidate laser Doppler analytical models.

Laser speckle contrast imaging accurately measures blood flow over moving skin surfaces

Cutaneous blood flow (CBF) can be assessed non-invasively with lasers. Unfortunately, movement artefacts in the laser skin signal (LS(sk)) might sometimes compromise the interpretation of the data. To date, no method is available to remove movement artefacts point-by-point. Using a laser speckle contrast imager, we simultaneously recorded LS(sk) and the signal backscattered from an adjacent opaque surface (LS(os)). The completion of a first protocol allowed a definition of a simple equation to calculate the CBF from movement artefact-affected traces of LS(sk) and LS(os). We then recorded LS(sk) and LS(os) before, during and for 5 min after the tourniquet ischemia, both when subjects (n=8) were immobile or submitted to external passive movements of random intensity throughout the test. The typical post-occlusive reactive hyperemia trace was not identifiable within the LS(sk) recordings, with LS(sk) being 2 to 3 times higher during movements than in the immobile situation. After the calculation of CBF, traces in the immobile versus movement conditions were comparable, with the "r" cross-correlation coefficient being 0.930+/-0.010. Our method might facilitate future investigations in microvascular physiology and pathophysiology, specifically in subjects who have frequent or continuous involuntary movements.

A fast time-domain algorithm for the assessment of tissue blood flow in laser-Doppler flowmetry

In this study, we derive a fast, novel time-domain algorithm to compute the nth-order moment of the power spectral density of the photoelectric current as measured in laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF). It is well established that in the LDF literature these moments are closely related to fundamental physiological parameters, i.e. concentration of moving erythrocytes and blood flow. In particular, we take advantage of the link between moments in the Fourier domain and fractional derivatives in the temporal domain. Using Parseval's theorem, we establish an exact analytical equivalence between the time-domain expression and the conventional frequency-domain counterpart. Moreover, we demonstrate the appropriateness of estimating the zeroth-, first- and second-order moments using Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, we briefly discuss the feasibility of implementing the proposed algorithm in hardware.

Diffuse Optics for Tissue Monitoring and Tomography

This review describes the diffusion model for light transport in tissues and the medical applications of diffuse light. Diffuse optics is particularly useful for measurement of tissue hemodynamics, wherein quantitative assessment of oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations and blood flow are desired. The theoretical basis for near-infrared or diffuse optical spectroscopy (NIRS or DOS, respectively) is developed, and the basic elements of diffuse optical tomography (DOT) are outlined. We also discuss diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS), a technique whereby temporal correlation functions of diffusing light are transported through tissue and are used to measure blood flow. Essential instrumentation is described, and representative brain and breast functional imaging and monitoring results illustrate the workings of these new tissue diagnostics.

Laser-Doppler spectrum decomposition applied for the estimation of speed distribution of particles moving in a multiple scattering medium

Recently, a method for the estimation of speed distribution of particles moving in an optically turbid medium has been proposed. The method allows potentially absolute measurement of speed of the particles and can be applied in laser-Doppler perfusion measurements. However, the decomposition technique was limited to short source-detector separations for which the assumption that one photon is Doppler scattered not more than once is fulfilled. In the present paper we show a generalized decomposition technique in which photons can be scattered more than once. We show the theoretical background for decomposition in such a case. We apply a decomposition method for the analysis of laser-Doppler spectra obtained by Monte Carlo simulations. This analysis allows showing noise limits in which the technique can be effectively applied in analysis of measured spectra. We propose an approximated scattering model based on the assumption that for one photon consecutive Doppler scattering events occur on particles moving with the same speed, and we show that this approximation does not influence significantly the uncertainty of the resulting speed distribution. The proposed decomposition procedure is validated in measurements on a physical flow model. The decomposition procedure is also validated by analysis of spectra measured on a physical phantom using laser-Doppler flow meter (Oxford Optronix, UK). A diluted solution of milk was pumped through a tube fixed in an optically turbid material with speed varying from 0 mm s(-1) to 4 mm s(-1). We observed a linear relation between actual speed of milk solution and speed estimated from results of spectra decomposition.

Full-field laser-Doppler imaging and its physiological significance for tissue blood perfusion

Using Monte Carlo simulations for a semi-infinite medium representing a skeletal muscle tissue, it is demonstrated that the zero- and first-order moments of the power spectrum for a representative pixel of a full-field laser-Doppler imager behave differently from classical laser-Doppler flowmetry. In particular, the zero-order moment has a very low sensitivity to tissue blood volume changes, and it becomes completely insensitive if the probability for a photon to interact with a moving red blood cell is above 0.05. It is shown that the loss in sensitivity is due to the strong forward scatter of the propagating photons in biological tissues (i.e., anisotropy factor g = 0.9). The first-order moment is linearly related to the root mean square of the red blood cell velocity (the Brownian component), and there is also a positive relationship with tissue blood volume. The most common physiological interpretation of the first-order moment is as tissue blood volume times expectation of the blood velocity (in probabilistic terms). In this sense, the use of the first-order moment appears to be a reasonable approach for qualitative real-time blood flow monitoring, but it does not allow us to obtain information on blood velocity or volume independently. Finally, it is shown that the spatial and temporal resolution trade-off imposed by the CMOS detectors, used in full-field laser-Doppler hardware, may lead to measurements that vary oppositely with the underlying physiological quantities. Further improvements on detectors' sampling rate will overcome this limitation.

Decomposition of a laser-Doppler spectrum for estimation of speed distribution of particles moving in an optically turbid medium: Monte Carlo validation study

A method for measurement of distribution of speed of particles moving in an optically turbid medium is presented. The technique is based on decomposition of the laser-Doppler spectrum. The theoretical background is shown together with the results of Monte Carlo simulations, which were performed to validate the proposed method. The laser-Doppler spectra were obtained by Monte Carlo simulations for assumed uniform and Gaussian speed distributions of particles moving in the turbid medium. The Doppler shift probability distributions were calculated by Monte Carlo simulations for several anisotropy factors of the medium, assuming the Hanyey-Greenstein phase function. The results of the spectra decomposition show that the calculated speed distribution of moving particles match well the distribution assumed for Monte Carlo simulations. This result was obtained for the spectra simulated in optical conditions, in which the photon is scattered with the Doppler shift not more than once during its travel between the source and detector. Influence of multiple scattering of the photon is analysed and a perspective of spectrum decomposition under such conditions is considered. Potential applications and limitations of the method are discussed.

Speckles in laser Doppler perfusion imaging

We report on the quantitative influence of speckles in laser Doppler perfusion imaging. The influence of speckles on the signal amplitude and on the Doppler spectrum is demonstrated experimentally for particle suspensions with different scattering levels and various beam widths. It is shown that the type of tissue affects the instrumental response through the effect of lateral light diffusion on the number of speckles involved in the detection process. These effects are largest for narrow beams.

Absorption and scattering coefficient dependence of laser-Doppler flowmetry models for large tissue volumes

Based on quasi-elastic scattering theory (and random walk on a lattice approach), a model of laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) has been derived which can be applied to measurements in large tissue volumes (e.g. when the interoptode distance is >30 mm). The model holds for a semi-infinite medium and takes into account the transport-corrected scattering coefficient and the absorption coefficient of the tissue, and the scattering coefficient of the red blood cells. The model holds for anisotropic scattering and for multiple scattering of the photons by the moving scatterers of finite size. In particular, it has also been possible to take into account the simultaneous presence of both Brownian and pure translational movements. An analytical and simplified version of the model has also been derived and its validity investigated, for the case of measurements in human skeletal muscle tissue. It is shown that at large optode spacing it is possible to use the simplified model, taking into account only a 'mean' light pathlength, to predict the blood flow related parameters. It is also demonstrated that the 'classical' blood volume parameter, derived from LDF instruments, may not represent the actual blood volume variations when the investigated tissue volume is large. The simplified model does not need knowledge of the tissue optical parameters and thus should allow the development of very simple and cost-effective LDF hardware.