1
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Shu N, He Y, Zhang Y. Research progress on measurement methods and clinical applications of corneal elastic modulus. Exp Eye Res 2024; 245:109974. [PMID: 38897271 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Various corneal diseases are strongly associated with corneal biomechanical characteristics, and early measurement of patients' corneal biomechanics can be utilized in their diagnosis and treatment. Measurement methods for corneal biomechanical characteristics are classified into ex vivo and in vivo. Some of these methods can directly measure certain corneal biomechanical parameters, while others require indirect calculation through alternative methods. However, due to diversities in measurement techniques and environmental conditions, significant differences may exist in the corneal mechanical properties measured by these two methods. Therefore, comprehensive research on current measurement methods and the exploration of novel measurement techniques may have great clinical significance. The corneal elastic modulus, a critical indicator in corneal biomechanics, reflects the cornea's ability to return to its initial shape after undergoing stress. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the corneal elastic modulus, which is a critical biomechanical parameter, and discuss its direct, indirect, and potential measurement methods and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanqi Shu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, Jilin Province, China
| | - Yuxi He
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, Jilin Province, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, Jilin Province, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, China.
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2
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Handler C, Testi C, Scarcelli G. Advantages of integrating Brillouin microscopy in multimodal mechanical mapping of cells and tissues. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 88:102341. [PMID: 38471195 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2024.102341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Recent research has highlighted the growing significance of the mechanical properties of cells and tissues in the proper execution of physiological functions within an organism; alterations to these properties can potentially result in various diseases. These mechanical properties can be assessed using various techniques that vary in spatial and temporal resolutions as well as applications. Due to the wide range of mechanical behaviors exhibited by cells and tissues, a singular mapping technique may be insufficient in capturing their complexity and nuance. Consequently, by utilizing a combination of methods-multimodal mechanical mapping-researchers can achieve a more comprehensive characterization of mechanical properties, encompassing factors such as stiffness, modulus, viscoelasticity, and forces. Furthermore, different mapping techniques can provide complementary information and enable the exploration of spatial and temporal variations to enhance our understanding of cellular dynamics and tissue mechanics. By capitalizing on the unique strengths of each method while mitigating their respective limitations, a more precise and holistic understanding of cellular and tissue mechanics can be obtained. Here, we spotlight Brillouin microscopy (BM) as a noncontact, noninvasive, and label-free mechanical mapping modality to be coutilized alongside established mechanical probing methods. This review summarizes some of the most widely adopted individual mechanical mapping techniques and highlights several recent multimodal approaches demonstrating their utility. We envision that future studies aim to adopt multimodal techniques to drive advancements in the broader realm of mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Handler
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Claudia Testi
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Center for Life Nano- and Neuro- Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Giuliano Scarcelli
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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3
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Marmin A, Dufour N, Facca S, Catheline S, Chatelin S, Nahas A. Full-field noise-correlation elastography for in-plane mechanical anisotropy imaging. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2024; 15:2622-2635. [PMID: 38633096 PMCID: PMC11019699 DOI: 10.1364/boe.516166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Elastography contrast imaging has great potential for the detection and characterization of abnormalities in soft biological tissues to help physicians in diagnosis. Transient shear-waves elastography has notably shown promising results for a range of clinical applications. In biological soft tissues such as muscle, high mechanical anisotropy implies different stiffness estimations depending on the direction of the measurement. In this study, we propose the evolution of a noise-correlation elastography approach for in-plane anisotropy mapping. This method is shown to retrieve anisotropy from simulation images before being validated on agarose anisotropic tissue-mimicking phantoms, and the first results on in-vivo biological fibrous tissues are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Marmin
- Université de
Strasbourg, CNRS, ICube, UMR 7357, 67000 Strasbourg,
France
| | - Nina Dufour
- Université de
Strasbourg, CNRS, ICube, UMR 7357, 67000 Strasbourg,
France
| | - Sybille Facca
- Université de
Strasbourg, CNRS, ICube, UMR 7357, 67000 Strasbourg,
France
- Department of Hand Surgery, SOS hand,
University Hospital of Strasbourg, FMTS, 1
avenue Molière, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Stefan Catheline
- LabTAU, Inserm, Centre Léon Bérard, Université Lyon 1, Univ Lyon, F-69003 Lyon, France
| | - Simon Chatelin
- Université de
Strasbourg, CNRS, ICube, UMR 7357, 67000 Strasbourg,
France
- RoDIn, Inserm ERL1328, 1 place de l’Hôpital, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Amir Nahas
- Université de
Strasbourg, CNRS, ICube, UMR 7357, 67000 Strasbourg,
France
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4
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Zhu Y, Shi J, Alvarez-arenas TEG, Li C, Wang H, Cai H, Zhang D, He X, Wu X. Supershear Rayleigh wave imaging for quantitative assessment of biomechanical properties of brain using air-coupled optical coherence elastography. APL Bioeng 2023; 7:046107. [PMID: 37915751 PMCID: PMC10618026 DOI: 10.1063/5.0160213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, supershear Rayleigh waves (SRWs) have been proposed to characterize the biomechanical properties of soft tissues. The SRWs propagate along the surface of the medium, unlike surface Rayleigh waves, SRWs propagate faster than bulk shear waves. However, their behavior and application in biological tissues is still elusive. In brain tissue elastography, shear waves combined with magnetic resonance elastography or ultrasound elastography are generally used to quantify the shear modulus, but high spatial resolution elasticity assessment in 10 μm scale is still improving. Here, we develop an air-coupled ultrasonic transducer for noncontact excitation of SRWs and Rayleigh waves in brain tissue, use optical coherent elastography (OCE) to detect, and reconstruct the SRW propagation process; in combing with a derived theoretical model of SRWs on a free boundary surface, we quantify the shear modulus of brain tissue with high spatial resolution. We first complete validation experiments using a homogeneous isotropic agar phantom, and the experimental results clearly show the SRW is 1.9649 times faster than the bulk shear waves. Furthermore, the propagation velocity of SRWs in both the frontal and parietal lobe regions of the brain is all 1.87 times faster than the bulk shear wave velocity. Finally, we evaluated the anisotropy in different brain regions, and the medulla oblongata region had the highest anisotropy index. Our study shows that the OCE system using the SRW model is a new potential approach for high-resolution assessment of the biomechanical properties of brain tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiulin Shi
- School of Testing and Opto-electric Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
| | - Tomas E. Gomez Alvarez-arenas
- Ultrasonic and Sensors Technologies Department, Information and Physical Technologies Institute, Spanish National Research Council, Serrano 144, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Chenxi Li
- School of Testing and Opto-electric Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
| | - Haohao Wang
- School of Testing and Opto-electric Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
| | - Hongling Cai
- School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Xingdao He
- School of Testing and Opto-electric Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
| | - Xiaoshan Wu
- School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
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5
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Wang C, Zhu J, Ma J, Meng X, Ma Z, Fan F. Optical coherence elastography and its applications for the biomechanical characterization of tissues. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2023; 16:e202300292. [PMID: 37774137 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202300292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The biomechanical characterization of the tissues provides significant evidence for determining the pathological status and assessing the disease treatment. Incorporating elastography with optical coherence tomography (OCT), optical coherence elastography (OCE) can map the spatial elasticity distribution of biological tissue with high resolution. After the excitation with the external or inherent force, the tissue response of the deformation or vibration is detected by OCT imaging. The elastogram is assessed by stress-strain analysis, vibration amplitude measurements, and quantification of elastic wave velocities. OCE has been used for elasticity measurements in ophthalmology, endoscopy, and oncology, improving the precision of diagnosis and treatment of disease. In this article, we review the OCE methods for biomechanical characterization and summarize current OCE applications in biomedicine. The limitations and future development of OCE are also discussed during its translation to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongyang Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Optoelectronic Measurement Technology and Instrument, Beijing Information Science and Technology University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Jiawei Ma
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Optoelectronic Measurement Technology and Instrument, Beijing Information Science and Technology University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaochen Meng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Optoelectronic Measurement Technology and Instrument, Beijing Information Science and Technology University, Beijing, China
| | - Zongqing Ma
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Optoelectronic Measurement Technology and Instrument, Beijing Information Science and Technology University, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Fan
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Optoelectronic Measurement Technology and Instrument, Beijing Information Science and Technology University, Beijing, China
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6
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Ma G, Cai J, Zhong R, He W, Ye H, Duvvuri C, Song C, Feng J, An L, Qin J, Huang Y, Xu J, Twa MD, Lan G. Corneal Surface Wave Propagation Associated with Intraocular Pressures: OCT Elastography Assessment in a Simplified Eye Model. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:754. [PMID: 37508781 PMCID: PMC10376591 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10070754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessing corneal biomechanics in vivo has long been a challenge in the field of ophthalmology. Despite recent advances in optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based elastography (OCE) methods, controversy remains regarding the effect of intraocular pressure (IOP) on mechanical wave propagation speed in the cornea. This could be attributed to the complexity of corneal biomechanics and the difficulties associated with conducting in vivo corneal shear-wave OCE measurements. We constructed a simplified artificial eye model with a silicone cornea and controllable IOPs and performed surface wave OCE measurements in radial directions (54-324°) of the silicone cornea at different IOP levels (10-40 mmHg). The results demonstrated increases in wave propagation speeds (mean ± STD) from 6.55 ± 0.09 m/s (10 mmHg) to 9.82 ± 0.19 m/s (40 mmHg), leading to an estimate of Young's modulus, which increased from 145.23 ± 4.43 kPa to 326.44 ± 13.30 kPa. Our implementation of an artificial eye model highlighted that the impact of IOP on Young's modulus (ΔE = 165.59 kPa, IOP: 10-40 mmHg) was more significant than the effect of stretching of the silicone cornea (ΔE = 15.79 kPa, relative elongation: 0.98-6.49%). Our study sheds light on the potential advantages of using an artificial eye model to represent the response of the human cornea during OCE measurement and provides valuable insights into the impact of IOP on wave-based OCE measurement for future in vivo corneal biomechanics studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqin Ma
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Jing Cai
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Rijian Zhong
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Weichao He
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Haoxi Ye
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
| | | | - Chengjin Song
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Jinping Feng
- Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China
| | - Lin An
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan 528000, China
| | - Jia Qin
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan 528000, China
| | - Yanping Huang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan 528000, China
| | - Jingjiang Xu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan 528000, China
| | - Michael D Twa
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Gongpu Lan
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan 528000, China
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7
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Mason JH, Luo L, Reinwald Y, Taffetani M, Hallas-Potts A, Herrington CS, Srsen V, Lin CJ, Barroso IA, Zhang Z, Zhang Z, Ghag AK, Yang Y, Waters S, El Haj AJ, Bagnaninchi PO. Debiased ambient vibrations optical coherence elastography to profile cell, organoid and tissue mechanical properties. Commun Biol 2023; 6:543. [PMID: 37202417 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04788-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of the mechanical environment in defining tissue function, development and growth has been shown to be fundamental. Assessment of the changes in stiffness of tissue matrices at multiple scales has relied mostly on invasive and often specialist equipment such as AFM or mechanical testing devices poorly suited to the cell culture workflow.In this paper, we have developed a unbiased passive optical coherence elastography method, exploiting ambient vibrations in the sample that enables real-time noninvasive quantitative profiling of cells and tissues. We demonstrate a robust method that decouples optical scattering and mechanical properties by actively compensating for scattering associated noise bias and reducing variance. The efficiency for the method to retrieve ground truth is validated in silico and in vitro, and exemplified for key applications such as time course mechanical profiling of bone and cartilage spheroids, tissue engineering cancer models, tissue repair models and single cell. Our method is readily implementable with any commercial optical coherence tomography system without any hardware modifications, and thus offers a breakthrough in on-line tissue mechanical assessment of spatial mechanical properties for organoids, soft tissues and tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan H Mason
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lu Luo
- Healthcare Technology Institute, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Yvonne Reinwald
- Department of Engineering, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | | | - Amelia Hallas-Potts
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - C Simon Herrington
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Vlastimil Srsen
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Chih-Jen Lin
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Univeristy of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Inês A Barroso
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Zhihua Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Zhibing Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Anita K Ghag
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ying Yang
- Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
| | - Sarah Waters
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alicia J El Haj
- Healthcare Technology Institute, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
| | - Pierre O Bagnaninchi
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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8
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Zhu Y, Zhao Y, Shi J, Gomez Alvarez-Arenas TE, Yang H, Cai H, Zhang D, He X, Wu X. Novel acoustic radiation force optical coherence elastography based on ultrasmall ultrasound transducer for biomechanics evaluation of in vivo cornea. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2023:e202300074. [PMID: 37101410 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202300074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
We developed a novel acoustic radiation force optical coherence elastography (ARF-OCE) based on an ultrasmall ultrasound transducer for quantitative biomechanics evaluations of in vivo cornea. A custom single-sided meta-ultrasonic transducer with an outer diameter of 1.8 mm, focal spot diameter of 1.6 mm, central frequency of 930 kHz, and focal length of 0.8 mm was applied to excite the sample. The sample arm of the ARF-OCE system employed a three-dimensional printed holder that allowed for ultrasound excitation and ARF-OCE detection. The phase-resolved algorithm was combined with a Lamb wave model to depth-resolved evaluate corneal biomechanics after keratoconus and cross-linking treatments (CXL). The results showed that, compare to the healthy cornea, the Lamb wave velocity was significantly reduced in the keratoconus, increased in the cornea after CXL, and increased with cross-linked irradiation energy in the cornea. These results indicated the good clinical translation potential of the proposed novel ARF-OCE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yirui Zhu
- School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- School of Testing and Opto-Electric Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yanzhi Zhao
- School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jiulin Shi
- School of Testing and Opto-Electric Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, China
| | - Tomas E Gomez Alvarez-Arenas
- Ultrasonic and Sensors Technologies Department, Information and Physical Technologies Institute, Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hongwei Yang
- School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Hongling Cai
- School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xingdao He
- School of Testing and Opto-Electric Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiaoshan Wu
- School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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9
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Lan G, Twa MD, Song C, Feng J, Huang Y, Xu J, Qin J, An L, Wei X. In vivo corneal elastography: A topical review of challenges and opportunities. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:2664-2687. [PMID: 37181662 PMCID: PMC10173410 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical measurement of corneal biomechanics can aid in the early diagnosis, progression tracking, and treatment evaluation of ocular diseases. Over the past two decades, interdisciplinary collaborations between investigators in optical engineering, analytical biomechanical modeling, and clinical research has expanded our knowledge of corneal biomechanics. These advances have led to innovations in testing methods (ex vivo, and recently, in vivo) across multiple spatial and strain scales. However, in vivo measurement of corneal biomechanics remains a long-standing challenge and is currently an active area of research. Here, we review the existing and emerging approaches for in vivo corneal biomechanics evaluation, which include corneal applanation methods, such as ocular response analyzer (ORA) and corneal visualization Scheimpflug technology (Corvis ST), Brillouin microscopy, and elastography methods, and the emerging field of optical coherence elastography (OCE). We describe the fundamental concepts, analytical methods, and current clinical status for each of these methods. Finally, we discuss open questions for the current state of in vivo biomechanics assessment techniques and requirements for wider use that will further broaden our understanding of corneal biomechanics for the detection and management of ocular diseases, and improve the safety and efficacy of future clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongpu Lan
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Michael D Twa
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Chengjin Song
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - JinPing Feng
- Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, Hubei 437100, China
| | - Yanping Huang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Jingjiang Xu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Jia Qin
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Lin An
- Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Xunbin Wei
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University, Beijing 100081, China
- International Cancer Institute, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
- Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
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10
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Mekonnen T, Zevallos-Delgado C, Zhang H, Singh M, Aglyamov SR, Larin KV. The lens capsule significantly affects the viscoelastic properties of the lens as quantified by optical coherence elastography. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1134086. [PMID: 36970614 PMCID: PMC10034121 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1134086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The crystalline lens is a transparent, biconvex structure that has its curvature and refractive power modulated to focus light onto the retina. This intrinsic morphological adjustment of the lens to fulfill changing visual demands is achieved by the coordinated interaction between the lens and its suspension system, which includes the lens capsule. Thus, characterizing the influence of the lens capsule on the whole lens’s biomechanical properties is important for understanding the physiological process of accommodation and early diagnosis and treatment of lenticular diseases. In this study, we assessed the viscoelastic properties of the lens using phase-sensitive optical coherence elastography (PhS-OCE) coupled with acoustic radiation force (ARF) excitation. The elastic wave propagation induced by ARF excitation, which was focused on the surface of the lens, was tracked with phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography. Experiments were conducted on eight freshly excised porcine lenses before and after the capsular bag was dissected away. Results showed that the group velocity of the surface elastic wave, V, in the lens with the capsule intact (V=2.55±0.23 m/s) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than after the capsule was removed (V=1.19±0.25 m/s). Similarly, the viscoelastic assessment using a model that utilizes the dispersion of a surface wave showed that both Young’s modulus, E, and shear viscosity coefficient, η, of the encapsulated lens (E=8.14±1.10 kPa,η=0.89±0.093 Pa∙s) were significantly higher than that of the decapsulated lens (E=3.10±0.43 kPa,η=0.28±0.021 Pa∙s). These findings, together with the geometrical change upon removal of the capsule, indicate that the capsule plays a critical role in determining the viscoelastic properties of the crystalline lens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taye Mekonnen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | | | - Hongqiu Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Salavat R. Aglyamov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Kirill V. Larin,
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11
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Li F, Wang K, Liu Z. In Vivo Biomechanical Measurements of the Cornea. BIOENGINEERING (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:bioengineering10010120. [PMID: 36671692 PMCID: PMC9854753 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10010120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In early corneal examinations, the relationships between the morphological and biomechanical features of the cornea were unclear. Although consistent links have been demonstrated between the two in certain cases, these are not valid in many diseased states. An accurate assessment of the corneal biomechanical properties is essential for understanding the condition of the cornea. Studies on corneal biomechanics in vivo suggest that clinical problems such as refractive surgery and ectatic corneal disease are closely related to changes in biomechanical parameters. Current techniques are available to assess the mechanical characteristics of the cornea in vivo. Accordingly, various attempts have been expended to obtain the relevant mechanical parameters from different perspectives, using the air-puff method, ultrasound, optical techniques, and finite element analyses. However, a measurement technique that can comprehensively reflect the full mechanical characteristics of the cornea (gold standard) has not yet been developed. We review herein the in vivo measurement techniques used to assess corneal biomechanics, and discuss their advantages and limitations to provide a comprehensive introduction to the current state of technical development to support more accurate clinical decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanshu Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Health Science Center, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Kehao Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Ziyuan Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Health Science Center, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
- Correspondence:
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12
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Lin X, Mekonnen T, Verma S, Zevallos-Delgado C, Singh M, Aglyamov SR, Gesteira TF, Larin KV, Coulson-Thomas VJ. Hyaluronan Modulates the Biomechanical Properties of the Cornea. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:6. [PMID: 36478198 PMCID: PMC9733656 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.13.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Hyaluronan (HA) is a major constituent of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that has high viscosity and is essential for maintaining tissue hydration. In the cornea, HA is enriched in the limbal region and is a key component of the limbal epithelial stem cell niche. HA is upregulated after injury participating in the formation of the provisional matrix, and has a key role in regulating the wound healing process. This study investigated whether changes in the distribution of HA before and after injury affects the biomechanical properties of the cornea in vivo. Methods Corneas of wild-type (wt) mice and mice lacking enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of HA were analyzed before, immediately after, and 7 and 14 days after a corneal alkali burn (AB). The corneas were evaluated using both a ring light and fluorescein stain by in vivo confocal microscopy, optical coherence elastography (OCE), and immunostaining of corneal whole mounts. Results Our results show that wt mice and mice lacking HA synthase (Has)1 and 3 present an increase in corneal stiffness 7 and 14 days after AB without a significant increase in HA expression and absence of scarring at 14 days after AB. In contrast, mice lacking Has2 present a significant decrease in corneal stiffness, with a significant increase in HA expression and scarring at 14 days after AB. Conclusions Our findings show that the mechanical properties of the cornea are significantly modulated by changes in HA distribution following alkali burn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Lin
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Taye Mekonnen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Sudhir Verma
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States,Department of Zoology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | | | - Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Salavat R. Aglyamov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Tarsis F. Gesteira
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
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13
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Chen G, Xia J. Non-Contact Shear Wave Generation and Detection Using High Frequency Air-Coupled Focused Transducer and Fiber Optic Based Sagnac Interferometer for Mechanical Characterization. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22155824. [PMID: 35957381 PMCID: PMC9370967 DOI: 10.3390/s22155824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In shear wave-based material mechanical characterization, the transmit/receiver transducer is generally in contact with the material through a coupling medium. In many applications, especially in biological tissue-related characterization, the application of the coupling medium and the contact method are not ideal, sometimes even unacceptable, due to contamination or stress response concerns. To avoid contact, we developed a 1 MHz air-coupled focused PZT transducer as a moderate pressure generator that could induce a shear wave in soft material and a fiber optic-based Sagnac system for the detection of the propagating shear wave. A calibration indicated that the fabricated air-coupled focused PZT transducer could generate pressure above 1 KPa within its focal range. This pressure is three to five times as much as the pressure generated by a 1 MHz air-coupled transducer currently available on the market. The integrated system was demonstrated through shear wave generation by the fabricated air-coupled PZT transducer and shear wave detection by the fiber optic Sagnac system in a nylon membrane. The results demonstrated the capability of the integrated system in non-contact material mechanical characterization, such as in material modulus measurement.
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14
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Mekonnen T, Lin X, Zevallos-Delgado C, Singh M, Aglyamov SR, Coulson-Thomas V, Larin KV. Longitudinal assessment of the effect of alkali burns on corneal biomechanical properties using optical coherence elastography. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2022; 15:e202200022. [PMID: 35460537 PMCID: PMC11057918 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202200022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Eye injury due to alkali burn is a severe ocular trauma that can profoundly affect corneal structure and function, including its biomechanical properties. Here, we assess the changes in the mechanical behavior of mouse corneas in response to alkali-induced injury by conducting longitudinal measurements using optical coherence elastography (OCE). A non-contact air-coupled ultrasound transducer was used to induce elastic waves in control and alkali-injured mouse corneas in vivo, which were imaged with phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography. Corneal mechanical properties were estimated using a modified Rayleigh-Lamb wave model, and results show that Young's modulus of alkali-burned corneas were significantly greater than that of their healthy counterparts on days 7 (p = 0.029) and 14 (p = 0.026) after injury. These findings, together with the changes in the shear viscosity coefficient postburn, indicate that the mechanical properties of the alkali-burned cornea are significantly modulated during the wound healing process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taye Mekonnen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, 3517 Cullen Blvd., Room 2027, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Xiao Lin
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, 4901 Calhoun Road, Houston, TX 77204‑2020, USA
| | - Christian Zevallos-Delgado
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, 3517 Cullen Blvd., Room 2027, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, 3517 Cullen Blvd., Room 2027, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Salavat R. Aglyamov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Vivien Coulson-Thomas
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, 4901 Calhoun Road, Houston, TX 77204‑2020, USA
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, 3517 Cullen Blvd., Room 2027, Houston, TX 77204, USA
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15
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Zvietcovich F, Nair A, Singh M, Aglyamov SR, Twa MD, Larin KV. In vivo assessment of corneal biomechanics under a localized cross-linking treatment using confocal air-coupled optical coherence elastography. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 13:2644-2654. [PMID: 35774330 PMCID: PMC9203097 DOI: 10.1364/boe.456186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The localized application of the riboflavin/UV-A collagen cross-linking (UV-CXL) corneal treatment has been proposed to concentrate the stiffening process only in the compromised regions of the cornea by limiting the epithelium removal and irradiation area. However, current clinical screening devices dedicated to measuring corneal biomechanics cannot provide maps nor spatial-dependent changes of elasticity in corneas when treated locally with UV-CXL. In this study, we leverage our previously reported confocal air-coupled ultrasonic optical coherence elastography (ACUS-OCE) probe to study local changes of corneal elasticity in three cases: untreated, half-CXL-treated, and full-CXL-treated in vivo rabbit corneas (n = 8). We found a significant increase of the shear modulus in the half-treated (>450%) and full-treated (>650%) corneal regions when compared to the non-treated cases. Therefore, the ACUS-OCE technology possesses a great potential in detecting spatially-dependent mechanical properties of the cornea at multiple meridians and generating elastography maps that are clinically relevant for patient-specific treatment planning and monitoring of UV-CXL procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Zvietcovich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
- Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, San Miguel, Lima 15088, Peru
| | - Achuth Nair
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
| | - Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
| | - Salavat R. Aglyamov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
| | - Michael D. Twa
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
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16
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Lan G, Shi Q, Wang Y, Ma G, Cai J, Feng J, Huang Y, Gu B, An L, Xu J, Qin J, Twa MD. Spatial Assessment of Heterogeneous Tissue Natural Frequency Using Micro-Force Optical Coherence Elastography. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:851094. [PMID: 35360399 PMCID: PMC8962667 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.851094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of corneal tissue natural frequency was recently proposed as a biomarker for corneal biomechanics and has been performed using high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based elastography (OCE). However, it remains unknown whether natural frequency analysis can resolve local variations in tissue structure. We measured heterogeneous samples to evaluate the correspondence between natural frequency distributions and regional structural variations. Sub-micrometer sample oscillations were induced point-wise by microliter air pulses (60–85 Pa, 3 ms) and detected correspondingly at each point using a 1,300 nm spectral domain common path OCT system with 0.44 nm phase detection sensitivity. The resulting oscillation frequency features were analyzed via fast Fourier transform and natural frequency was characterized using a single degree of freedom (SDOF) model. Oscillation features at each measurement point showed a complex frequency response with multiple frequency components that corresponded with global structural features; while the variation of frequency magnitude at each location reflected the local sample features. Silicone blocks (255.1 ± 11.0 Hz and 249.0 ± 4.6 Hz) embedded in an agar base (355.6 ± 0.8 Hz and 361.3 ± 5.5 Hz) were clearly distinguishable by natural frequency. In a beef shank sample, central fat and connective tissues had lower natural frequencies (91.7 ± 58.2 Hz) than muscle tissue (left side: 252.6 ± 52.3 Hz; right side: 161.5 ± 35.8 Hz). As a first step, we have shown the possibility of natural frequency OCE methods to characterize global and local features of heterogeneous samples. This method can provide additional information on corneal properties, complementary to current clinical biomechanical assessments, and could become a useful tool for clinical detection of ocular disease and evaluation of medical or surgical treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongpu Lan
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teams of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program, Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, Foshan University, Foshan, China
- *Correspondence: Gongpu Lan, ; Michael D. Twa,
| | - Qun Shi
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Yicheng Wang
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Guoqin Ma
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Jing Cai
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Jinping Feng
- Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China
| | - Yanping Huang
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teams of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program, Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Boyu Gu
- School of Computer and Information Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lin An
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teams of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program, Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, China
| | - Jingjiang Xu
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teams of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program, Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology Joint Laboratory, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Jia Qin
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teams of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program, Weiren Meditech Co., Ltd., Foshan, China
| | - Michael D. Twa
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Gongpu Lan, ; Michael D. Twa,
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17
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Singh M, Zvietcovich F, Larin KV. Introduction to optical coherence elastography: tutorial. JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. A, OPTICS, IMAGE SCIENCE, AND VISION 2022; 39:418-430. [PMID: 35297425 PMCID: PMC10052825 DOI: 10.1364/josaa.444808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Optical coherence elastography (OCE) has seen rapid growth since its introduction in 1998. The past few decades have seen tremendous advancements in the development of OCE technology and a wide range of applications, including the first clinical applications. This tutorial introduces the basics of solid mechanics, which form the foundation of all elastography methods. We then describe how OCE measurements of tissue motion can be used to quantify tissue biomechanical parameters. We also detail various types of excitation methods, imaging systems, acquisition schemes, and data processing algorithms and how various parameters associated with each step of OCE imaging can affect the final quantitation of biomechanical properties. Finally, we discuss the future of OCE, its potential, and the next steps required for OCE to become an established medical imaging technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manmohan Singh
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
| | - Fernando Zvietcovich
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
- Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, San Miguel, Lima 15088, Peru
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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18
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Baumann B, Merkle CW, Augustin M, Glösmann M, Garhöfer G. Pulsatile tissue deformation dynamics of the murine retina and choroid mapped by 4D optical coherence tomography. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 13:647-661. [PMID: 35284183 PMCID: PMC8884196 DOI: 10.1364/boe.445093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Irregular ocular pulsatility and altered mechanical tissue properties are associated with some of the most sight-threatening eye diseases. Here we present 4D optical coherence tomography (OCT) for the quantitative assessment and depth-resolved mapping of pulsatile dynamics in the murine retina and choroid. Through a pixel-wise analysis of phase changes of the complex OCT signal, we reveal spatiotemporal displacement characteristics across repeated frame acquisitions. We demonstrate in vivo fundus elastography (FUEL) imaging in wildtype mouse retinas and in a mouse model of retinal neovascularization and uncover subtle structural deformations related to ocular pulsation. Our data in mouse eyes hold promise for a powerful retinal elastography technique that may enable a new paradigm of OCT-based measurements and image contrast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Baumann
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical
Engineering, Medical University of Vienna,
Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Conrad W. Merkle
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical
Engineering, Medical University of Vienna,
Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marco Augustin
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical
Engineering, Medical University of Vienna,
Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Glösmann
- Core Facility for Research and Technology,
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna,
Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard Garhöfer
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology,
Medical University of Vienna, Währinger
Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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19
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Sun MG, Son T, Crutison J, Guaiquil V, Lin S, Nammari L, Klatt D, Yao X, Rosenblatt MI, Royston TJ. Optical coherence elastography for assessing the influence of intraocular pressure on elastic wave dispersion in the cornea. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2022; 128:105100. [PMID: 35121423 PMCID: PMC8904295 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The cornea is a highly specialized organ that relies on its mechanical stiffness to maintain its aspheric geometry and refractive power, and corneal diseases such as keratoconus have been linked to abnormal tissue stiffness and biomechanics. Dynamic optical coherence elastography (OCE) is a clinically promising non-contact and non-destructive imaging technique that can provide measurements of corneal tissue stiffness directly in vivo. The method relies on the concepts of elastography where shear waves are generated and imaged within a tissue to obtain mechanical properties such as tissue stiffness. The accuracy of OCE-based measurements is ultimately dependent on the mathematical theories used to model wave behavior in the tissue of interest. In the cornea, elastic waves propagate as guided wave modes which are highly dispersive and can be mathematically complex to model. While recent groups have developed detailed theories for estimating corneal tissue properties from guided wave behavior, the effects of intraocular pressure (IOP)-induced prestress have not yet been considered. It is known that prestress alone can strongly influence wave behavior, in addition to the associated non-linear changes in tissue properties. This present study shows that failure to account for the effects of prestress may result in overestimations of the corneal shear moduli, particularly at high IOPs. We first examined the potential effects of IOP and IOP-induced prestress using a combination of approximate mathematical theories describing wave behavior in thin plates with observations made from data published in the OCE literature. Through wave dispersion analysis, we deduce that IOP introduces a tensile hoop stress and may also influence an elastic foundational effect that were observable in the low-frequency components of the dispersion curves. These effects were incorporated into recently developed models of wave behavior in nearly incompressible, transversely isotropic (NITI) materials. Fitting of the modified NITI model with ex vivo porcine corneal data demonstrated that incorporation of the effects of IOP resulted in reduced estimates of corneal shear moduli. We believe this demonstrates that overestimation of corneal stiffness occurs if IOP is not taken into consideration. Our work may be helpful in separating inherent corneal stiffness properties that are independent of IOP; changes in these properties and in IOP are distinct, clinically relevant issues that affect the cornea health.
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20
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Zvietcovich F, Larin KV. Wave-based optical coherence elastography: The 10-year perspective. PROGRESS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2022; 4:012007. [PMID: 35187403 PMCID: PMC8856668 DOI: 10.1088/2516-1091/ac4512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
After 10 years of progress and innovation, optical coherence elastography (OCE) based on the propagation of mechanical waves has become one of the major and the most studied OCE branches, producing a fundamental impact in the quantitative and nondestructive biomechanical characterization of tissues. Preceding previous progress made in ultrasound and magnetic resonance elastography; wave-based OCE has pushed to the limit the advance of three major pillars: (1) implementation of novel wave excitation methods in tissues, (2) understanding new types of mechanical waves in complex boundary conditions by proposing advance analytical and numerical models, and (3) the development of novel estimators capable of retrieving quantitative 2D/3D biomechanical information of tissues. This remarkable progress promoted a major advance in answering basic science questions and the improvement of medical disease diagnosis and treatment monitoring in several types of tissues leading, ultimately, to the first attempts of clinical trials and translational research aiming to have wave-based OCE working in clinical environments. This paper summarizes the fundamental up-to-date principles and categories of wave-based OCE, revises the timeline and the state-of-the-art techniques and applications lying in those categories, and concludes with a discussion on the current challenges and future directions, including clinical translation research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Zvietcovich
- University of Houston, Biomedical Engineering, Houston, TX, United States, 77204
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- University of Houston, Biomedical Engineering, Houston, TX, United States, 77204,
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21
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Jiao S, Jia Y, Yao X. Emerging imaging developments in experimental vision sciences and ophthalmology. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2137-2139. [PMID: 34404253 PMCID: PMC8718248 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211038891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shuliang Jiao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33174, USA
| | - Yali Jia
- Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Xincheng Yao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
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22
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Customized eye modeling for optical quality assessment in myopic femto-LASIK surgery. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16049. [PMID: 34362982 PMCID: PMC8346559 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95730-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Refractive surgery is recognized as an effective method for myopia treatment, but it can induce night vision disturbances such as glare. We present an eye modeling method for the optical quality assessment in response to the structural changes in the eyes by femto-LASIK surgery. Customized eye models were built from the measurements of 134 right eyes pre- and post-operatively. Optical performance was evaluated using spot diagrams, point spread functions (PSFs), modulation transfer functions (MTFs), and chromatic aberrations at various fields (0°-30°), different pupil diameters (2-6 mm), and initial myopias (- 1.25 to - 10.5 D). Pupil size and initial myopia are the two major factors that affect visual performance of post-operative eyes. The results of spot diagrams, PSFs, and MTFs indicated that post-operative visual performance deteriorated as the visual field and pupil size increased, and it was significantly influenced by initial myopia. Post-operative chromatic aberrations were also affected by initial myopia. As pupil size increased, the post-operative longitudinal chromatic aberrations tended to decrease slightly, while the transverse chromatic aberrations remained similar. The use of eye modeling for refractive surgery assessment could possibly provide a more personalized surgical approach, could improve the prediction accuracy of refractive surgery outcomes, and promote the invention and development of better surgical methods.
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23
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Marmin A, Laloy-Borgna G, Facca S, Gioux S, Catheline S, Nahas A. Time-of-flight and noise-correlation-inspired algorithms for full-field shear-wave elastography using digital holography. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS 2021; 26:JBO-210039RR. [PMID: 34414704 PMCID: PMC8374320 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.26.8.086006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Quantitative stiffness information can be a powerful aid for tumor or fibrosis diagnosis. Currently, very promising elastography approaches developed for non-contact biomedical imaging are based on transient shear-waves imaging. Transient elastography offers quantitative stiffness information by tracking the propagation of a wave front. The most common method used to compute stiffness from the acquired propagation movie is based on shear-wave time-of-flight calculations. AIM We introduce an approach to transient shear-wave elastography with spatially coherent sources, able to yield full-field quantitative stiffness maps with reduced artifacts compared to typical artifacts observed in time-of-flight. APPROACH A noise-correlation algorithm developed for passive elastography is adapted to spatially coherent narrow or any band sources. This noise-correlation-inspired (NCi) method is employed in parallel with a classic time-of-flight approach. Testing is done on simulation images, experimental validation is conducted with a digital holography setup on controlled homogeneous samples, and full-field quantitative stiffness maps are presented for heterogeneous samples and ex-vivo biological tissues. RESULTS The NCi approach is first validated on simulations images. Stiffness images processed by the NCi approach on simulated inclusions display significantly less artifacts than with a time-of-flight reconstruction. The adaptability of the NCi algorithm to narrow or any band shear-wave sources was tested successfully. Experimental testing on homogeneous samples demonstrates similar values for both the time-of-flight and the NCi approach. Soft inclusions in agarose sample could be resolved using the NCi method and feasibility on ex-vivo biological tissues is presented. CONCLUSIONS The presented NCi approach was successful in computing quantitative full-field stiffness maps with narrow and broadband source signals on simulation and experimental images from a digital holography setup. Results in heterogeneous media show that the NCi approach could provide stiffness maps with less artifacts than with time-of-flight, demonstrating that a NCi algorithm is a promising approach for shear-wave transient elastography with spatially coherent sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Marmin
- The University of Strasbourg, ICUBE Research Institute, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Sybille Facca
- The University of Strasbourg, ICUBE Research Institute, Strasbourg, France
- University Hospital of Strasbourg, FMTS, ICube CNRS 7357, University of Strasbourg, Department of Hand Surgery, SOS hand, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sylvain Gioux
- The University of Strasbourg, ICUBE Research Institute, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Amir Nahas
- The University of Strasbourg, ICUBE Research Institute, Strasbourg, France
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Rippy JR, Singh M, Aglyamov SR, Larin KV. Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography and Transient Optical Coherence Elastography: Side-by-Side Comparison of Repeatability and Accuracy. IEEE OPEN JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 2:179-186. [PMID: 34179823 PMCID: PMC8224461 DOI: 10.1109/ojemb.2021.3075569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: We compare the repeatability and accuracy of ultrasound shear wave elastography (USE) and transient optical coherence elastography (OCE). Methods: Elastic wave speed in gelatin phantoms and chicken breast was measured with USE and OCE and compared with uniaxial mechanical compression testing. Intra- and Inter-repeatability were analyzed using Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results: OCE and USE differed from uniaxial testing by a mean absolute percent error of 8.92% and 16.9%, respectively, across eight phantoms of varying stiffness. Upper and lower limits of agreement for intrasample repeatability for USE and OCE were ±0.075 m/s and −0.14 m/s and 0.13 m/s, respectively. OCE and USE both had ICCs of 0.9991. In chicken breast, ICC for USE was 0.9385 and for OCE was 0.9924. Conclusion: OCE and USE can detect small speed changes and give comparable measurements. These measurements correspond well with uniaxial testing.
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Lan G, Aglyamov S, Larin KV, Twa MD. In vivo human corneal natural frequency quantification using dynamic optical coherence elastography: Repeatability and reproducibility. J Biomech 2021; 121:110427. [PMID: 33873114 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Reliable and quantitative assessment of corneal biomechanics is important for the detection and treatment of corneal disease. The present study evaluates the repeatability and reproducibility of a novel optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based elastography (OCE) method for in vivo quantification of corneal natural frequency in 20 normal human eyes. Sub-micron corneal oscillations were induced by repeated low-force (13 Pa) microliter air pulses at the corneal apex and were observed by common-path phase-sensitive OCT imaging adjacent to a measurement region of 1-6.25 mm2. Corneal natural frequencies were quantified using a single degree of freedom model based on the corneal oscillations. Corneal natural frequencies ranged from 234 to 277 Hz (coefficient of variation: 3.2%; n = 286 for a 2.5 × 2.5 mm2 area; time: 28.6 s). The same natural frequencies can be acquired using a smaller sampling size (n = 9 for 1 mm2) and a shorter time (0.9 s). Spatial distribution and local changes in natural frequencies can be distinguished using denser sampling (e.g., 26 × 41 points for 2.5 × 5 mm2). This novel optical method demonstrates highly repeatable and reliable in vivo measurements of human corneal natural frequencies. While further studies are required to fully characterize anatomical and structural dependencies, this method may be complementary to the current OCE methods used to estimate Young's modulus from strain- or shear-wave-based measurements for the quantitative determination of corneal biomechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongpu Lan
- Foshan University, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Salavat Aglyamov
- University of Houston, Mechanical Engineering, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Kirill V Larin
- University of Houston, Biomedical Engineering, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Michael D Twa
- University of Houston, College of Optometry, Houston, TX 77204, United States.
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Singh M, Nair A, Aglyamov SR, Larin KV. Compressional Optical Coherence Elastography of the Cornea. PHOTONICS 2021; 8:111. [PMID: 37727230 PMCID: PMC10508915 DOI: 10.3390/photonics8040111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Assessing the biomechanical properties of the cornea is crucial for detecting the onset and progression of eye diseases. In this work, we demonstrate the application of compression-based optical coherence elastography (OCE) to measure the biomechanical properties of the cornea under various conditions, including validation in an in situ rabbit model and a demonstration of feasibility for in vivo measurements. Our results show a stark increase in the stiffness of the corneas as IOP was increased. Moreover, UV-A/riboflavin corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) also dramatically increased the stiffness of the corneas. The results were consistent across 4 different scenarios (whole CXL in situ, partial CXL in situ, whole CXL in vivo, and partial CXL in vivo), emphasizing the reliability of compression OCE to measure corneal biomechanical properties and its potential for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, 3517 Cullen Blvd., Room 2027, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Achuth Nair
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, 3517 Cullen Blvd., Room 2027, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Salavat R. Aglyamov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, 4726 Calhoun Rd., Room N207, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, 3517 Cullen Blvd., Room 2027, Houston, TX 77204, USA
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM335, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Ferrara M, Lugano G, Sandinha MT, Kearns VR, Geraghty B, Steel DHW. Biomechanical properties of retina and choroid: a comprehensive review of techniques and translational relevance. Eye (Lond) 2021; 35:1818-1832. [PMID: 33649576 PMCID: PMC8225810 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-021-01437-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying the biomechanical properties of biological tissue is crucial to improve our understanding of disease pathogenesis. The biomechanical characteristics of the cornea, sclera and the optic nerve head have been well addressed with an extensive literature and an in-depth understanding of their significance whilst, in comparison, knowledge of the retina and choroid is relatively limited. Knowledge of these tissues is important not only to clarify the underlying pathogenesis of a wide variety of retinal and vitreoretinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, hereditary retinal dystrophies and vitreoretinal interface diseases but also to optimise the surgical handling of retinal tissues and, potentially, the design and properties of implantable retinal prostheses and subretinal therapies. Our aim with this article is to comprehensively review existing knowledge of the biomechanical properties of retina, internal limiting membrane (ILM) and the Bruch’s membrane–choroidal complex (BMCC), highlighting the potential implications for clinical and surgical practice. Prior to this we review the testing methodologies that have been used both in vitro, and those starting to be used in vivo to aid understanding of their results and significance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gaia Lugano
- Department of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Victoria R Kearns
- Department of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Brendan Geraghty
- Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - David H W Steel
- Sunderland Eye Infirmary, Sunderland, UK. .,Bioscience Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
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Liu HC, Kijanka P, Urban MW. Two-dimensional (2D) dynamic vibration optical coherence elastography (DV-OCE) for evaluating mechanical properties: a potential application in tissue engineering. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 12:1217-1235. [PMID: 33796348 PMCID: PMC7984779 DOI: 10.1364/boe.416661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical properties in tissues are an important indicator because they are associated with disease states. One of the well-known excitation sources in optical coherence elastography (OCE) to determine mechanical properties is acoustic radiation force (ARF); however, a complicated focusing alignment cannot be avoided. Another excitation source is a piezoelectric (PZT) stack to obtain strain images via compression, which can affect the intrinsic mechanical properties of tissues in tissue engineering. In this study, we report a new technique called two-dimensional (2D) dynamic vibration OCE (DV-OCE) to evaluate 2D wave velocities without tedious focusing alignment procedures and is a non-contact method with respect to the samples. The three-dimensional (3D) Fourier transform was utilized to transfer the traveling waves (x, y, t) into 3D k-space (kx, ky, f). A spatial 2D wavenumber filter and multi-angle directional filter were employed to decompose the waves with omni-directional components into four individual traveling directions. The 2D local wave velocity algorithm was used to calculate a 2D wave velocity map. Six materials, two homogeneous phantoms with 10 mm thickness, two homogeneous phantoms with 2 mm thickness, one heterogeneous phantom with 2 mm diameter inclusion and an ex vivo porcine kidney, were examined in this study. In addition, the ARF-OCE was used to evaluate wave velocities for comparison. Numerical simulations were performed to validate the proposed 2D dynamic vibration OCE technique. We demonstrate that the experimental results were in a good agreement with the results from ARF-OCE (transient OCE) and numerical simulations. Our proposed 2D dynamic vibration OCE could potentially pave the way for mechanical evaluation in tissue engineering and for laboratory translation with easy-to-setup and contactless advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Chuan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Piotr Kijanka
- Department of Robotics and Mechatronics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, Krakow 30-059, Poland
| | - Matthew W. Urban
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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Kling S, Torres-Netto EA, Spiru B, Sekundo W, Hafezi F. Quasi-Static Optical Coherence Elastography to Characterize Human Corneal Biomechanical Properties. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 61:29. [PMID: 32539132 PMCID: PMC7415307 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.6.29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Quasi-static optical coherence elastography (OCE) is an emerging technology to investigate corneal biomechanical behavior in situations similar to physiological stress conditions. Herein OCE was applied to evaluate previously inaccessible biomechanical characteristics of human corneal tissue and to study the role of Bowman's layer in corneal biomechanics. Methods Human corneal donor buttons (n = 23) were obtained and Descemet's membrane and endothelium were removed. In 11 corneas, Bowman's layer was ablated by a 20 µm stromal excimer laser ablation. Buttons were mounted on an artificial anterior chamber and subjected to a pressure modulation from 10 to 30 mm Hg, and back to 10 mm Hg, in steps of 1 mm Hg. At each step, a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography scan was obtained. Displacements were analyzed by optical flow tracking, and strain over the entire stromal depth was retrieved from the phase gradient of the complex interference signal. Results During pressure increase, corneal tissue moved upward (486–585 nm/mm Hg) but did not fully recover (Δ= 2.63 to 8.64 µm) after pressure decrease. Vertical corneal strain distribution was negative in the anterior and positive in the posterior cornea, indicating simultaneous corneal compression and expansion, respectively. Bowman's layer caused minor localized differences in corneal strain distribution. Conclusions Corneal strain distribution is more complex than previously assumed, with a fundamental difference in mechanical response between the anterior and posterior stroma. Clinically, OCE technology might be used to monitor the progression of corneal ectatic diseases and to determine the success of corneal cross-linking.
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Brown DM, Pardue MT, Ethier CR. A biphasic approach for characterizing tensile, compressive and hydraulic properties of the sclera. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20200634. [PMID: 33468024 PMCID: PMC7879763 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Measuring the biomechanical properties of the mouse sclera is of great interest: altered scleral properties are features of many common ocular pathologies, and the mouse is a powerful tool for studying genetic factors in disease, yet the small size of the mouse eye and its thin sclera make experimental measurements in the mouse difficult. Here, a poroelastic material model is used to analyse data from unconfined compression testing of both pig and mouse sclera, and the tensile modulus, compressive modulus and permeability of the sclera are obtained at three levels of compressive strain. Values for all three properties were comparable to previously reported values measured by tests specific for each property. The repeatability of the approach was evaluated using a test-retest experimental paradigm on pig sclera, and tensile stiffness and permeability measurements were found to be reasonably repeatable. The intrinsic material properties of the mouse sclera were measured for the first time. Tensile stiffness and permeability of the sclera in both species were seen to be dependent on the state of compressive strain. We conclude that unconfined compression testing of sclera, when analysed with poroelastic theory, is a powerful tool to phenotype mouse scleral changes in future genotype-phenotype association studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon M. Brown
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, 1670 Clairmont Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30033, USA
| | - Machelle T. Pardue
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, 1670 Clairmont Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30033, USA
| | - C. Ross Ethier
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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Lan G, Aglyamov SR, Larin KV, Twa MD. In Vivo Human Corneal Shear-wave Optical Coherence Elastography. Optom Vis Sci 2021; 98:58-63. [PMID: 33394932 PMCID: PMC7774819 DOI: 10.1097/opx.0000000000001633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE A novel imaging technology, dynamic optical coherence elastography (OCE), was adapted for clinical noninvasive measurements of corneal biomechanics. PURPOSE Determining corneal biomechanical properties is a long-standing challenge. Elasticity imaging methods have recently been developed and applied for clinical evaluation of soft tissues in cancer detection, atherosclerotic plaque evaluation, surgical guidance, and more. Here, we describe the use of dynamic OCE to characterize mechanical wave propagation in the human cornea in vivo, thus providing a method for clinical determination of corneal biomechanical properties. METHODS High-resolution phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography imaging was combined with microliter air-pulse tissue stimulation to perform dynamic elasticity measurements in 18 eyes of nine participants. Low-pressure (0.1 mmHg), spatiotemporally discreet (150 μm, 800 μs) tissue stimulation produced submicron-scale tissue deformations that were measured at multiple positions over a 1-mm2 area. Surface wave velocity was measured and used to determine tissue stiffness. Elastic wave propagation velocity was measured and evaluated as a function of IOP and central corneal thickness. RESULTS Submicron corneal surface displacement amplitude (range, 0.005 to 0.5 μm) responses were measured with high sensitivity (0.24 nm). Corneal elastic wave velocity ranged from 2.4 to 4.2 m/s (mean, 3.5; 95% confidence interval, 3.2 to 3.8 m/s) and was correlated with central corneal thickness (r = 0.64, P < .001) and IOP (r = 0.52, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS Phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography imaging combined with microliter air-pulse mechanical tissue stimulation has sufficient detection sensitivity to observe submicron elastic wave propagation in corneal tissue. These measurements enable in vivo corneal stiffness determinations that will be further studied for use with disease detection and for monitoring clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongpu Lan
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
- University of Houston College of Optometry, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Michael D. Twa
- University of Houston College of Optometry, Houston, Texas
- School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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32
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Zvietcovich F, Nair A, Singh M, Aglyamov SR, Twa MD, Larin KV. Dynamic Optical Coherence Elastography of the Anterior Eye: Understanding the Biomechanics of the Limbus. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:7. [PMID: 33141893 PMCID: PMC7645208 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.13.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Currently, the biomechanical properties of the corneo-scleral limbus when the eye-globe deforms are largely unknown. The purpose of this study is to evaluate changes in elasticity of the cornea, sclera, and limbus when subjected to different intraocular pressures (IOP) using wave-based optical coherence elastography (OCE). Special attention was given to the elasticity changes of the limbal region with respect to the elasticity variations in the neighboring corneal and scleral regions. Methods Continuous harmonic elastic waves (800 Hz) were mechanically induced in the sclera near the corneo-sclera limbus of in situ porcine eye-globes (n = 8). Wave propagation was imaged using a phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography system (PhS-OCT). The eyes were subjected to five different IOP-levels (10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 mm Hg), and spatially distributed propagation velocities were calculated along corneal, limbal, and scleral regions. Finite element analysis (FEA) of the same regions under the same excitation conditions were conducted for further validation of results. Results FEA demonstrated that the stiffness of the heterogeneous cornea-limbus-sclera transition can be characterized by phase velocity measurements of the elastic waves produced at 800 Hz in the anterior eye. Experimental results revealed that the wave speed in the limbus (cL = 6.5 m/s) is between the cornea (cc = 2.9 m/s) and sclera (cs = 10.0 m/s) at a physiological IOP level (15 mm Hg) and rapidly increases as the IOP level is increased, even surpassing the wave speed in the sclera. Finally, the change in elastic wave speed in the limbus (ΔcL∼18.5 m/s) was greater than in the cornea (Δcc ∼12.6 m/s) and sclera (Δcs∼8.1 m/s) for the same change in IOP. Conclusions We demonstrated that wave-based OCE can be utilized to assess limbus biomechanical properties. Moreover, experimental evidence showed that the corneo-scleral limbus is highly nonlinear compared to the cornea and sclera when the eye-globe is deformed by an increase of IOP. This may suggest that the limbus has enough structural flexibility to stabilize anterior eye shape during IOP changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Zvietcovich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Achuth Nair
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Salavat R Aglyamov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Michael D Twa
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Kirill V Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
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Jin Z, Chen S, Dai Y, Bao C, Ye S, Zhou Y, Wang Y, Huang S, Wang Y, Shen M, Zhu D, Lu F. In vivo noninvasive measurement of spatially resolved corneal elasticity in human eyes using Lamb wave optical coherence elastography. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2020; 13:e202000104. [PMID: 32368840 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202000104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Current elastography techniques are limited in application to accurately assess spatially resolved corneal elasticity in vivo for human eyes. The air-puff optical coherence elastography (OCE) with an eye motion artifacts correction algorithm is developed to distinguish the in vivo cornea vibration from the eye motion and visualize the Lamb wave propagation clearly in healthy subjects. Based on the Lamb wave model, the phase velocity dispersion curve in the high-frequency is calculated to obtain spatially resolved corneal elasticity accurately with high repeatability. It is found that the corneal elasticity has regional variations and is correlated with intraocular pressure, which suggests that the method has the potential to provide noninvasive measurement of spatially resolved corneal elasticity in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Jin
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sisi Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yingying Dai
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chenhong Bao
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shuling Ye
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuheng Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yiyi Wang
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shenghai Huang
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Meixiao Shen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dexi Zhu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fan Lu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
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Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative assessment of corneal biomechanics in refractive surgery. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2020; 31:234-240. [PMID: 32452876 DOI: 10.1097/icu.0000000000000663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review current and emerging methods and utilities of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative measurements of corneal biomechanics and their effects on refractive surgery decision-making. RECENT FINDINGS Several recent clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated the utility of corneal biomechanical analysis in refractive surgery. These studies focus on both screening surgical candidates for keratoconic disease as well as intraoperative and postoperative monitoring. The measurement of spatially resolved biomechanics is beginning to be studied in humans. SUMMARY Clinically available screening methods combining corneal biomechanics with topographic and tomographic data provide increased utility when screening for keratoconic disorder. Spatially resolved measurement of corneal biomechanics holds great potential for preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative evaluation of refractive surgery candidates as well as for more individualized procedures in the future.
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Zhang D, Li C, Huang Z. Relaxation time constant based optical coherence elastography. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2020; 13:e201960233. [PMID: 32166913 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201960233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed at visualizing relative relaxation time constant (RTC) in soft tissue by using optical coherence elastography (OCE). We proposed a forced vibration model as a theoretical base to express RTC using axial gradient of periodic vibration phase captured by phase sensitive optical coherence tomography (PhS-OCT). Validation of the model had been accomplished by experiments with isotropic and double-layered phantoms. A fresh chicken breast sample treated with focused ultrasound was prepared to test performance of the RTC-OCE in real tissue. All results were cross-validated with indentation test and traditional strain-based elastography. This study first utilized RTC mapping in 2D and 3D that covers the information of both elasticity and viscosity. The generated RTC mapping revealed the same mechanical difference internal sample which is correlated with conventional strain mapping. RTC mapping is potentially to be served as new biomarker for disease diagnosis in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo Zhang
- School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK
| | - Chunhui Li
- School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK
| | - Zhihong Huang
- School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK
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Liu HC, Kijanka P, Urban MW. Four-dimensional (4D) phase velocity optical coherence elastography in heterogeneous materials and biological tissue. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 11:3795-3817. [PMID: 33014567 PMCID: PMC7510894 DOI: 10.1364/boe.394835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The variations of mechanical properties in soft tissues are biomarkers used for clinical diagnosis and disease monitoring. Optical coherence elastography (OCE) has been extensively developed to investigate mechanical properties of various biological tissues. These methods are generally based on time-domain data and measure the time-of-flight of the localized shear wave propagations to estimate the group velocity. However, there is considerable information that can be obtained from examining the mechanical properties such as wave propagation velocities at different frequencies. Here we propose a method to evaluate phase velocity, wave velocity at various frequencies, in four-dimensional space (x, y, z, f), called 4D-OCE phase velocity. The method enables local estimates of the phase velocity of propagating mechanical waves in a medium. We acquired and analyzed data with this method from a homogeneous reference phantom, a heterogeneous phantom material with four different excitation cases, and ex vivo porcine kidney tissue. The 3D-OCE group velocity was also estimated to compare with 4D-OCE phase velocity. Moreover, we performed numerical simulation of wave propagations to illustrate the boundary behavior of the propagating waves. The proposed 4D-OCE phase velocity is capable of providing further information in OCE to better understand the spatial variation of mechanical properties of various biological tissues with respect to frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Chuan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200
First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Piotr Kijanka
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200
First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Robotics and Mechatronics,
AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, Krakow
30-059, Poland
| | - Matthew W. Urban
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200
First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical
Engineering, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905,
USA
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Marmin A, Catheline S, Nahas A. Full-field passive elastography using digital holography. OPTICS LETTERS 2020; 45:2965-2968. [PMID: 32479434 DOI: 10.1364/ol.388327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Off-axis digital holography is an imaging technique that allows direct measurement of phase and amplitude from one image. We utilize this technique to capture displacements induced by a diffuse shear wave field with high sensitivity. A noise-correlation-based algorithm is then used to measure mechanical properties of samples. This approach enables full-field quantitative passive elastography without the need of contact or a synchronized source of a mechanical wave. This passive elastography method is first validated on agarose test samples mimicking biological tissues, and first results on an ex vivo biological sample are presented.
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Hajjarian Z, Nadkarni SK. Tutorial on laser speckle rheology: technology, applications, and opportunities. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS 2020; 25:1-19. [PMID: 32358928 PMCID: PMC7195443 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.25.5.050801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE The onset of several diseases is frequently marked with anomalous mechanical alteration of the affected tissue at the intersection of cells and their microenvironment. Therefore, mapping the micromechanical attributes of the tissues could enhance our understanding of the etiology of human disease, improve the diagnosis, and help stratify therapies that target these mechanical aberrations. AIM We review the tremendous opportunities offered through using optics for imaging the micromechanical properties, at length scales inaccessible to other modalities, in both basic research and clinical medicine. We specifically focus on laser speckle rheology (LSR), a technology that quantifies the mechanical properties of tissues in a rapid, noncontact manner. APPROACH In LSR, the shear viscoelastic modulus is measured from the time-variant speckle intensity fluctuations reflected off the tissue. The LSR technology is engineered and configured into several embodiments, including bench-top optical systems, endoscopes for minimally invasive procedures, portable point-of-care devices, and microscopes. RESULTS These technological nuances have primed the LSR for widespread applications in diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring, as demonstrated here, in cardiovascular disease, coagulation disorders, and tumor malignancies. CONCLUSION The fast-paced technological advancements, elaborated here, position the LSR as a competent candidate for many more exciting opportunities in basic research and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Hajjarian
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Seemantini K. Nadkarni
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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Lan G, Gu B, Larin KV, Twa MD. Clinical Corneal Optical Coherence Elastography Measurement Precision: Effect of Heartbeat and Respiration. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2020; 9:3. [PMID: 32821475 PMCID: PMC7401940 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.5.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Normal physiological movements (e.g., respiration and heartbeat) induce eye motions during clinical measurements of human corneal biomechanical properties using optical coherence elastography (OCE). We quantified the effects of respiratory and cardiac-induced eye motions on clinical corneal OCE measurement precision and repeatability. Methods Corneal OCE was performed using low-force, micro-air-pulse tissue stimulation and high-resolution phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. Axial surface displacements of the corneal apex were measured (M-mode) at a 70-kHz sampling rate and three different stimulation pressures (20-60 Pa). Simultaneously, the axial corneal position was tracked with structural OCT imaging, while the heartrate and respiration were monitored over a 90 second period. Results Respiratory- and cardiac-induced eye motions have distinctly lower frequency (0.1-1 Hz) and much greater amplitude (up to ± 50 µm movements) than air-pulse-induced corneal tissue deformations (∼250 Hz, <1 µm). The corneal displacements induced during OCE measurements in vivo were -0.41 ± 0.06 µm (n = 22 measurements, coefficient of variation [CV]: 14.6%) and -0.44 ± 0.07 µm (n = 50 measurements, CV: 15.9%), respectively, from two human subjects at 40 Pa stimulation pressure. Observed variation in corneal tissue displacements were not associated with tissue stimulation magnitude, or the amplitude of physiologically induced axial eye motion. Conclusions The microsecond timescale and submicron tissue displacements observed during corneal OCE measurements are separable from normal involuntary physiological movements, such as the oculocardiac pulse and respiratory movements. Translational Relevance This work advances innovations in biomedical imaging and engineering for clinical diagnostic applications for soft-tissue biomechanical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongpu Lan
- Department of Photoelectric Technology, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong, China.,School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Boyu Gu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Doheny Eye Institute, University of California -Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kirill V Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael D Twa
- School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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Ambekar YS, Singh M, Zhang J, Nair A, Aglyamov SR, Scarcelli G, Larin KV. Multimodal quantitative optical elastography of the crystalline lens with optical coherence elastography and Brillouin microscopy. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 11:2041-2051. [PMID: 32341865 PMCID: PMC7173892 DOI: 10.1364/boe.387361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Assessing the biomechanical properties of the crystalline lens can provide crucial information for diagnosing disease and guiding precision therapeutic interventions. Existing noninvasive methods have been limited to global measurements. Here, we demonstrate the quantitative assessment of the elasticity of crystalline lens with a multimodal optical elastography technique, which combines dynamic wave-based optical coherence elastography (OCE) and Brillouin microscopy to overcome the drawbacks of individual modalities. OCE can provide direct measurements of tissue elasticity rapidly and quantitatively, but it is a challenge to image transparent samples such as the lens because this technique relies on backscattered light. On the other hand, Brillouin microscopy can map the longitudinal modulus with micro-scale resolution in transparent samples. However, the relationship between Brillouin-deduced modulus and Young's modulus is not straightforward and sample dependent. By combining these two techniques, we can calibrate Brillouin measurements with OCE, based on the same sample, allowing us to completely map the Young's modulus of the crystalline lens. The combined system was first validated with tissue-mimicking gelatin phantoms of varying elasticities (N = 9). The OCE data was used to calibrate the Brillouin shift measurements and subsequently map the Young's modulus of the phantoms. After validation, OCE and Brillouin measurements were performed on ex-vivo porcine lenses (N = 6), and the Young's modulus of the lenses was spatially mapped. The results show a strong correlation between Young's moduli measured by OCE and longitudinal moduli measured by Brillouin microscopy. The correlation coefficient R was 0.98 for the phantoms and 0.94 for the lenses, respectively. The mean Young's modulus of the anterior and posterior lens was 1.98 ± 0.74 kPa and 2.93 ± 1.13 kPa, respectively, and the Young's modulus of the lens nucleus was 11.90 ± 2.94 kPa. The results presented in this manuscript open a new way for truly quantitative biomechanical mapping of optically transparent (or low scattering) tissues in 3D.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jitao Zhang
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Achuth Nair
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Salavat R. Aglyamov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Giuliano Scarcelli
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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41
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Liu HC, Kijanka P, Urban MW. Acoustic radiation force optical coherence elastography for evaluating mechanical properties of soft condensed matters and its biological applications. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2020; 13:e201960134. [PMID: 31872545 PMCID: PMC7243171 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201960134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Evaluating mechanical properties of biological soft tissues and viscous mucus is challenging because of complicated dynamic behaviors. Soft condensed matter models have been successfully used to explain a number of dynamical behaviors. Here, we reported that optical coherence elastography (OCE) is capable of quantifying mechanical properties of soft condensed matters, micellar fluids. A 7.5 MHz focused transducer was utilized to generate acoustic radiation force exerted on the surface of soft condensed matters in order to produce Rayleigh waves. The waves were recorded by optical coherence tomography (OCT). The Kelvin-Voigt model was adopted to evaluate shear modulus and loss modulus of soft condensed matters. The results reported that various concentrations of micellar fluids can provide reasonable ranges of elasticity from 65.71 to 428.78 Pa and viscosity from 0.035 to 0.283 Pa·s, which are close to ranges for actual biological samples, like mucus. OCE might be a promising tool to differentiate pathologic mucus samples from healthy cases as advanced applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Piotr Kijanka
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
- Department of Robotics and Mechatronics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland
| | - Matthew W Urban
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
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42
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Liu HC, Kijanka P, Urban MW. Optical coherence tomography for evaluating capillary waves in blood and plasma. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 11:1092-1106. [PMID: 32206401 PMCID: PMC7041467 DOI: 10.1364/boe.382819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Capillary waves are associated with fluid mechanical properties. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has previously been used to determine the viscoelasticity of soft tissues or cornea. Here we report that OCT was able to evaluate phase velocities of capillary waves in fluids. The capillary waves of water, porcine whole blood and plasma on the interfacial surface, air-fluid in this case, are discussed in theory, and phase velocities of capillary waves were estimated by both our OCT experiments and theoretical calculations. Our experiments revealed highly comparable results with theoretical calculations. We concluded that OCT would be a promising tool to evaluate phase velocities of capillary waves in fluids. The methods described in this study could be applied to determine surface tensions and viscosities of fluids for differentiating hematological diseases in the future potential biological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Chuan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Piotr Kijanka
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Robotics and Mechatronics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, Krakow 30-059, Poland
| | - Matthew W. Urban
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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43
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Jin Z, Zhou Y, Shen M, Wang Y, Lu F, Zhu D. Assessment of corneal viscoelasticity using elastic wave optical coherence elastography. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2020; 13:e201960074. [PMID: 31626371 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201960074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The corneal viscoelasticity have great clinical significance, such as the early diagnosis of keratoconus. In this work, an analysis method which utilized the elastic wave velocity, frequency and energy attenuation to assess the corneal viscoelasticity is presented. Using phase-resolved optical coherence tomography, the spatial-temporal displacement map is derived. The phase velocity dispersion curve and center frequency are obtained by transforming the displacement map into the wavenumber-frequency domain through the 2D fast Fourier transform (FFT). The shear modulus is calculated through Rayleigh wave equation using the phase velocity in the high frequency. The normalized energy distribution is plotted by transforming the displacement map into the spatial-frequency domain through the 1D FFT. The energy attenuation coefficient is derived by exponential fitting to calculate the viscous modulus. Different concentrations of tissue-mimicking phantoms and porcine corneas are imaged to validate this method, which demonstrates that the method has the capability to assess the corneal viscoelasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Jin
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yuheng Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Meixiao Shen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Fan Lu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Dexi Zhu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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44
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Jin Z, Khazaeinezhad R, Zhu J, Yu J, Qu Y, He Y, Li Y, Gomez Alvarez-Arenas TE, Lu F, Chen Z. In-vivo 3D corneal elasticity using air-coupled ultrasound optical coherence elastography. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 10:6272-6285. [PMID: 31853399 PMCID: PMC6913398 DOI: 10.1364/boe.10.006272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Corneal elasticity can resist elastic deformations under intraocular pressure to maintain normal corneal shape, which has a great influence on corneal refractive function. Elastography can measure tissue elasticity and provide a powerful tool for clinical diagnosis. Air-coupled ultrasound optical coherence elastography (OCE) has been used in the quantification of ex-vivo corneal elasticity. However, in-vivo imaging of the cornea remains a challenge. The 3D air-coupled ultrasound OCE with an axial motion artifacts correction algorithm was developed to distinguish the in-vivo cornea vibration from the axial eye motion in anesthetized rabbits and visualize the elastic wave propagation clearly. The elastic wave group velocity of in-vivo rabbit cornea was measured to be 5.96 ± 0.55 m/s, which agrees with other studies. The results show the potential of 3D air-coupled ultrasound OCE with an axial motion artifacts correction algorithm for quantitative in-vivo assessment of corneal elasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Jin
- Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325003, Zhejiang, China
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Reza Khazaeinezhad
- Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Jiang Zhu
- Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
| | - Junxiao Yu
- Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
| | - Yueqiao Qu
- Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
| | - Youmin He
- Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
| | - Tomas E Gomez Alvarez-Arenas
- Institute of Physical and Information Technologies, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fan Lu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325003, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhongping Chen
- Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
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45
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Liu CH, Assassi S, Theodore S, Smith C, Schill A, Singh M, Aglyamov S, Mohan C, Larin KV. Translational optical coherence elastography for assessment of systemic sclerosis. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2019; 12:e201900236. [PMID: 31343837 PMCID: PMC7184265 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201900236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc-scleroderma) is an autoimmune disorder with high mortality rate that results in excessive accumulation of collagen in the skin and internal organs. Currently, the modified Rodnan Skin Score (mRSS) is the gold standard for evaluating the dermal thickening due to SSc. However, mRSS has noticeable inter- and intra-observer variabilities as quantified by the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC: 0.6-0.75). In this work, optical coherence elastography (OCE) combined with structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) image analysis was used to assess skin thickness in 12 SSc patients and healthy volunteers. Inter- (ICC: 0.62-0.99) and intra-observer (ICC > 0.90) assessment of OCT/OCE showed excellent reliability. Clinical assessments, including histologically assessed dermal thickness (DT), mRSS, and site-specific mRSS (SMRSS) were also performed for further validation. The OCE and OCT results from the forearm demonstrated the highest correlation (OCE: 0.78, OCT: 0.65) with SMRSS. Importantly, OCE and OCT had stronger correlations with the histological DT (OCT: r = .78 and OCE: r = .74) than SMRSS (r = .57), indicating the OCT/OCE could outperform semi-quantitative clinical assessments such as SMRSS. Overall, these results demonstrate that OCT/OCE could be useful for rapid, noninvasive and objective assessments of SSc onset and monitoring skin disease progression and treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Hao Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Shervin Assassi
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunogenetics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Sam Theodore
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunogenetics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Christopher Smith
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Alexander Schill
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Salavat Aglyamov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
| | - Chandra Mohan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
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Zvietcovich F, Pongchalee P, Meemon P, Rolland JP, Parker KJ. Reverberant 3D optical coherence elastography maps the elasticity of individual corneal layers. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4895. [PMID: 31653846 PMCID: PMC6814807 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12803-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The elasticity mapping of individual layers in the cornea using non-destructive elastography techniques advances diagnosis and monitoring of ocular diseases and treatments in ophthalmology. However, transient Lamb waves, currently used in most dynamic optical coherence and ultrasound elastography techniques, diminish the translation of wave speed into shear/Young’s modulus. Here, we present reverberant 3D optical coherence elastography (Rev3D-OCE), a novel approach leveraging the physical properties of diffuse fields in detecting elasticity gradients not only in the lateral direction, but also along the depth axis of the cornea. A Monte Carlo analysis, finite element simulations, and experiments in layered phantoms are conducted to validate the technique and to characterize the axial elastography resolution. Experiments in ex vivo porcine cornea at different intraocular pressures reveal that Rev3D-OCE enables the elastic characterization of single layers that matches the anatomical description of corneal layers with unprecedented contrast in the dynamic OCE field. Elastic mapping of individual layers of the cornea with elastography uses Lamb waves, which are dependent on the thickness of each layer and the direction of propagation. Here the authors present Reverberant 3D Optical Coherence Elastography to measure elasticity of single layers using waves propagating in all directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Zvietcovich
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627-0126, USA
| | | | - Panomsak Meemon
- Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, 30000
| | - Jannick P Rolland
- The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627-0186, USA
| | - Kevin J Parker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627-0126, USA.
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Chao PY, Li PC. Laser-speckle-contrast projection tomography for three-dimensional shear wave imaging. OPTICS LETTERS 2019; 44:4809-4812. [PMID: 31568448 DOI: 10.1364/ol.44.004809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Laser-speckle-contrast shear wave (LSC-SW) imaging is an optical method for tracking the propagation of a transient shear wave. With high spatial resolution and sensitivity in detecting displacements, this method is suitable for performing mechanical measurements in vitro. Here, we present a LSC-SW tomographic imaging system for visualizing the propagating shear wave wavefront in four dimensions [i.e., three-dimensional (3D) space plus time]. The volumetric elasticity distribution of a sample is constructed by estimating the speeds of the shear waves propagating along multiple paths at different angles. The proposed method enables multidirectional estimations of the shear wave speed. The capabilities of the imaging system are demonstrated by evaluating isotropy (both homogeneous and heterogeneous) and anisotropy in semiturbid phantoms. The proposed system is suitable for the mechanical characterization of a 3D cell culture system, such as monitoring changes in fiber orientation during the remodeling of the extracellular matrix that is known to be strongly associated with the progression and characterization of tumors.
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48
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B A, Rao S, Pandya HJ. Engineering approaches for characterizing soft tissue mechanical properties: A review. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 2019; 69:127-140. [PMID: 31344655 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2019.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
From cancer diagnosis to detailed characterization of arterial wall biomechanics, the elastic property of tissues is widely studied as an early sign of disease onset. The fibrous structural features of tissues are a direct measure of its health and functionality. Alterations in the structural features of tissues are often manifested as local stiffening and are early signs for diagnosing a disease. These elastic properties are measured ex vivo in conventional mechanical testing regimes, however, the heterogeneous microstructure of tissues can be accurately resolved over relatively smaller length scales with enhanced spatial resolution using techniques such as micro-indentation, microelectromechanical (MEMS) based cantilever sensors and optical catheters which also facilitate in vivo assessment of mechanical properties. In this review, we describe several probing strategies (qualitative and quantitative) based on the spatial scale of mechanical assessment and also discuss the potential use of machine learning techniques to compute the mechanical properties of soft tissues. This work details state of the art advancement in probing strategies, associated challenges toward quantitative characterization of tissue biomechanics both from an engineering and clinical standpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alekya B
- Biomedical and Electronic (10(-6)-10(-9)) Engineering Systems Laboratory, Department of Electronic Systems Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 12, India
| | - Sanjay Rao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Mazumdar Shaw Multispecialty Hospital, Narayana Health, Bangalore 99, India
| | - Hardik J Pandya
- Biomedical and Electronic (10(-6)-10(-9)) Engineering Systems Laboratory, Department of Electronic Systems Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 12, India.
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Li Y, Zhu J, Chen JJ, Yu J, Jin Z, Miao Y, Browne AW, Zhou Q, Chen Z. Simultaneously imaging and quantifying in vivo mechanical properties of crystalline lens and cornea using optical coherence elastography with acoustic radiation force excitation. APL PHOTONICS 2019; 4:106104. [PMID: 32309636 PMCID: PMC7164808 DOI: 10.1063/1.5118258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The crystalline lens and cornea comprise the eye's optical system for focusing light in human vision. The changes in biomechanical properties of the lens and cornea are closely associated with common diseases, including presbyopia and cataract. Currently, most in vivo elasticity studies of the anterior eye focus on the measurement of the cornea, while lens measurement remains challenging. To better understand the anterior segment of the eye, we developed an optical coherence elastography system utilizing acoustic radiation force excitation to simultaneously assess the elasticities of the crystalline lens and the cornea in vivo. A swept light source was integrated into the system to provide an enhanced imaging range that covers both the lens and the cornea. Additionally, the oblique imaging approach combined with orthogonal excitation also improved the image quality. The system was tested through first ex vivo and then in vivo experiments using a rabbit model. The elasticities of corneal and lens tissue in an excised normal whole-globe and a cold cataract model were measured to reveal that cataractous lenses have a higher Young's modulus. Simultaneous in vivo elasticity measurements of the lens and cornea were performed in a rabbit model to demonstrate the correlations between elasticity and intraocular pressure and between elasticity and age. To the best of our knowledge, we demonstrated the first in vivo elasticity of imaging of both the lens and cornea using acoustic radiation force-optical coherence elastography, thereby providing a potential powerful clinical tool to advance ophthalmic research in disorders affecting the lens and the cornea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92617, USA
| | - Jiang Zhu
- Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
| | - Jason J. Chen
- Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92617, USA
| | - Junxiao Yu
- Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92617, USA
| | - Zi Jin
- Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
| | - Yusi Miao
- Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92617, USA
| | - Andrew W. Browne
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92617, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92617, USA
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Qifa Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
- Roski Eye Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90007, USA
| | - Zhongping Chen
- Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92617, USA
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50
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Effects of Thickness on Corneal Biomechanical Properties Using Optical Coherence Elastography. Optom Vis Sci 2019; 95:299-308. [PMID: 29561496 DOI: 10.1097/opx.0000000000001193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Measured corneal biomechanical properties are driven by intraocular pressure, tissue thickness, and inherent material properties. We demonstrate tissue thickness as an important factor in the measurement of corneal biomechanics that can confound short-term effects due to UV riboflavin cross-linking (CXL) treatment. PURPOSE We isolate the effects of tissue thickness on the measured corneal biomechanical properties using optical coherence elastography by experimentally altering the tissue hydration state and stiffness. METHODS Dynamic optical coherence elastography was performed using phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography imaging to quantify the tissue deformation dynamics resulting from a spatially discrete, low-force air pulse (150-μm spot size; 0.8-millisecond duration; <10 Pa [<0.08 mmHg]). The time-dependent surface deformation is characterized by a viscoelastic tissue recovery response, quantified by an exponential decay constant-relaxation rate. Ex vivo rabbit globes (n = 10) with fixed intraocular pressure (15 mmHg) were topically instilled every 5 minutes with 0.9% saline for 60 minutes and 20% dextran for another 60 minutes. Measurements were made after every 20 minutes to determine the central corneal thickness (CCT) and the relaxation rates. Cross-linking treatment was performed on another 13 eyes, applying isotonic riboflavin (n = 6) and hypertonic riboflavin (n = 7) every 5 minutes for 30 minutes, followed by UV irradiation (365 nm, 3 mW/cm) for 30 minutes while instilling riboflavin. Central corneal thickness and relaxation rates were obtained before and after CXL treatment. RESULTS Corneal thickness was positively correlated (R = 0.9) with relaxation rates. In the CXL-treated eyes, isotonic riboflavin did not affect CCT and showed a significant increase in relaxation rates (+10%; P = .01) from 2.29 ms to 2.53 ms. Hypertonic riboflavin showed a significant CCT decrease (-31%; P = .01) from 618 μm to 429 μm but showed little change in relaxation rates after CXL treatment. CONCLUSIONS Corneal thickness and stiffness are correlated positively. A higher relaxation rate implied stiffer material properties after isotonic CXL treatment. Hypertonic CXL treatment results in a stiffness decrease that offsets the stiffness increase with CXL treatment.
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