Biomedical subjects

A Knüttel

Publications and source records attributed to A Knüttel.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Comparison of high frequency ultrasound and optical coherence tomography as modalities for high resolution and non invasive skin imaging.

High frequency ultrasound (HFUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) are techniques for high resolution imaging of tissues. The penetration depth of these modalities is limited, but it is sufficiently large enough for non invasive skin imaging. HFUS and OCT are based on the same concept. Waves (ultrasonic waves, respectively light waves) propagate along a narrow beam, are backscattered at tissue inhomogeneities and analyzed over time of flight to obtain spatially resolved morphological information. The objective of this paper is to compare HFUS and OCT in terms of resolution, dynamic range and contrast and to assess their value as tools for high resolution skin imaging. Measurements on phantoms and in vivo have been performed with a 100 MHz ultrasound system and an OCT-scanner working in the near infrared spectrum at 1300 nm wave-length. From the measurements, it can be concluded that OCT delivers an almost isotropic resolution (axial resolution about 5.8 microns, lateral resolution about 4.1 microns), whereas the resolution of the investigated HFUS system is more anisotropic (axial resolution about 9.3 microns, lateral resolution about 60 microns). HFUS and OCT show different penetration depths and a different contrast. Both techniques can, therefore, be combined advantageously in a multimodality approach to account for their individual characteristics.

Hair↗

PubMed2000

Thickness of the stratum corneum of the volar fingertips.

The thickness of the stratum corneum was measured by optical coherence tomography at the center and sides of the tactile elevations of all fingers in 87 healthy volunteers and 18 people with diabetes who performed regular glucose self-control. The cornified epidermis was thickest at the thumbs, and thickness decreased toward the little finger. The cornified epidermis was thinner at the sides of the tactile elevations than at the center, and it was thinner in women than in men. In people with diabetes, the cornified epidermis of the fingers most frequently used for capillary blood sampling was not conspicuously thickened.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Spatially confined and temporally resolved refractive index and scattering evaluation in human skin performed with optical coherence tomography.

In the present applications of optical coherence tomography (OCT), parameters besides pure morphology are evaluated in skin tissue under in vivo conditions. Spatially mapped refractive indices and scattering coefficients may support tissue characterization for research and diagnostic purposes in cosmetics/pharmacy and medicine, respectively. The sample arm of our OCT setup has been arranged to permit refractive index evaluation with little mechanical adjustment of a lens within the objective. A simple algorithm has been derived. Known from atmospheric work, the Klett algorithm [J. D. Klett, "Stable analytical inversion solution for processing LIDAR returns," Appl. Opt. 20(2), 211-220 (1981)] has been applied to the same data set for retrieval of scattering coefficients. Both parameters have been measured in layered structures in skin like stratum corneum, epidermis and dermis. Significant water content in a localized sweat gland duct has been observed by refractive index evaluation. Time studies over 1.5 h permitted a first understanding about physiological changes in skin which are not obtainable by intrusive methods.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1994

Optical-coherence tomography of a dense tissue: statistics of attenuation and backscattering.

This paper addresses fundamental issues that underlie the interpretation of images acquired from turbid tissues by optical-coherence tomography (OCT). The attenuation and backscattering properties of freshly excised rat arteries and their dependence on the focusing and collection optics of the OCT system were measured at two wavelengths in the near infrared (830 nm and 1300 nm). Determined from the ratio of the magnitudes of the reflections from glass plates placed on both sides of the arteries, the mean attenuation coefficient of the arterial wall was found to be in the range 14 < microt < 22 mm(-1) at 830 nm and 11 < microt < 20 mm(-1) at 1300 nm. The measured values of microt were lowest for the longer source wavelength and for probe beams with the smallest average diameters. The observed dependence of microt on beam size indicates that relatively large-scale variations in the index of refraction of the tissue contributed to degradation of the tranverse spatial coherence of the beam. We introduce a framework for understanding and quantifying beam-size effects by way of the mutual-coherence function. The fact that spatial variations in backscattering and attenuation (which includes spatial-coherence losses) have similar effects on OCT signals makes the origin of the signals difficult to determine. Evidence is given that suggests that, in spite of this difficulty, certain features of microstructures embedded several hundred micrometres deep in a turbid tissue can still be detected and characterized.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1994

Confocal microscopy in turbid media.

We examine the performance of confocal microscopes designed for probing structures embedded in turbid media. A heuristic scheme is described that combines a numerical Monte Carlo simulation of photon transport in a turbid medium with a geometrical ray trace through the confocal optics. To show the effects of multiple scattering on depth discrimination, we compare results from the Monte Carlo simulations and scalar diffraction theory. Experimental results showing the effects of the pinhole diameter and other variables on imaging performance at various optical depths in suspensions of polystyrene microspheres were found to correspond well with the Monte Carlo simulations. The major conclusion of the paper is that the trade-off between signal level and background scattered-light rejection places a fundamental limit on the sectioning capability of the microscope.

Light↗

PubMed1992

Interference of diffusive light waves.

We examine interference effects resulting from the superposition of photon-density waves produced by coherently modulated light incident upon a turbid medium. Photon-diffusion theory is used to derive expressions for the ac magnitude and phase of the aggregate diffusive wave produced in full- and half-space volumes by two sources. Using a frequency-domain spectrometer operating at 410 MHz, we verify interference patterns predicted by the model in scattering samples having optical properties similar to those of skin tissue. Potential imaging applications of interfering diffusive waves are discussed in the context of the theoretical and experimental results.

Humans↗

PubMed1991

Motion-insensitive volume-selective pulse sequences for direct and proton-detected 13C spectroscopy: detection of glycogen in the human liver in vivo.

Two compact pulse sequences are reported for the volume-selective detection of 13C nuclei. 13C signals are either directly acquired after enhancing the amplitude by polarization transfer from the coupled protons or, preferably, indirectly detected by heteronuclear editing of proton signals of 1H nuclei coupled to 13C. In the latter case, the full sensitivity of proton resonance is achieved, and signals from uncoupled protons or protons coupled to non-13C nuclei or 13C nuclei of undesired compounds are suppressed. Both sequences are single-scan procedures and are insensitive to the pulse phases and to motions of the investigated organs. The insensitivity to organ motions is due to the extremely compact character of these sequences avoiding coherence evolution periods as far as possible. This is achieved first by the introduction of double-resonance sandwich (DORSA) pulses accomplishing the polarization transfer slice selectively in a very short time. The second reason is that the initial evolution interval which is usually part of polarization transfer experiments is avoided by the aid of a doublet line-selective inversion pulse. Several test experiments in vivo are reported. In particular, it is demonstrated that glycogen can be detected in natural abundance in the human liver in vivo using a 2-T whole-body tomograph even without the use of heart or respiration triggers. The total acquisition time was 22 min, and a signal-to-noise ratio of 6 was achieved.

Carbon↗

PubMed1989

Single-scan volume-selective spectral editing by homonuclear polarization transfer.

An RF and field gradient pulse sequence is presented permitting the single-scan volume-selective spectral editing of the signals of coupled spins. The attribute "single scan" means that the editing of resonance lines is performed in each accumulation or phase cycling scan rather than by subtraction of independently acquired signals. As an example the methyl line of lactate has been investigated. The method is considered to be a useful tool in biomedical research using lactate as an ischemic parameter. The basic principles applied are the VOSY pulse scheme for volume selection and the INEPT sequence for homonuclear polarization transfer from the CH to the CH3 groups. As an intrinsically single-scan editing method ("homonuclear single-scan VOSING procedure"), the pulse train is expected to provide results that are more reliable than the two-scan subtraction methods previously reported.

Lactates↗

PubMed1989

Double-quantum filtered volume-selective NMR spectroscopy.

An RF and field-gradient pulse sequence is presented, permitting the recording of localized double-quantum filtered proton spectra. In this way distinction between overlapping resonances of coupled and uncoupled spins is possible. The editing of the lactate methyl line is demonstrated in a test experiment.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗

PubMed1989

Single-scan volume-selective editing of NMR spectra with the aid of a split-pathway technique for homonuclear applications.

An RF and field-gradient pulse sequence that permits the recording of localized and edited proton spectra is presented. The editing principle is a technique of splitting and recombining the coherence pathways. While the recombination of the pathways of uncoupled spins is destructive, that of coupled spins can be adjusted to be constructive.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗

PubMed1988

Integrated volume-selective/spectral editing 1H NMR and postdetection signal processing for the sensitive determination of lactate.

A new volume selection/spectral editing pulse sequence (VOSING) is presented. The features specific to the technique are that the volume selection and the editing intervals coincide and that no decoupling is necessary. The pulse sequence can be applied under both homo- and heteronuclear conditions. Phantom experiments with lactate solutions and human serum led to water suppression factors of about 20,000. A postdetection signal processing method has been implemented. The final sensitivity for lactate determinations could thus be improved by a factor of more than 4. Ischemia-induced lactate could easily be detected in serum. At present, the lower detection limit of lactate is 1 mmol/liter for a (1.2 cm)3 voxel and 32 scans in a 4.7-T/40-cm magnet.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

New method for evaluation of in vivo scattering and refractive index properties obtained with optical coherence tomography.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides more parameters than pure morphology does. In a recent paper [A. Knuettel and M. Boehlau-Godau, J. Biomed. Opt. 5(1) 83-92 (2000)] we have shown that the refractive index (RI) can be evaluated in a localized manner in skin tissue under in vivo conditions. Based on a theory, originally developed for light detecting and ranging applications [L. Thrane et al., J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 17(3) 484-490 (2000)], the parameter mean scattering angle (MSA) could be derived in addition to RI. The effects of hydration on MSA and RI have been evaluated in vitro in pigskin and in vivo in human skin with our OCT scanner SkinDex 300. These parameters may have a viable impact in (cosmetic) skin research and clinical diagnoses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that (multiple) scattering of light has been quantified through the observation of a new scattering parameter under in vivo conditions.

Adult↗