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Biomedical subjects

K Wårdell

Publications and source records attributed to K Wårdell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Myocardial perfusion monitoring during coronary artery bypass using an electrocardiogram-triggered laser Doppler technique.

Electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggered laser Doppler perfusion monitoring (LDPM) was used to assess myocardial perfusion, with minimum myocardial tissue motion influence, during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Thirteen subjects were investigated at six phases: pre- and post-CABG; post aorta cross-clamping; pre and post left internal mammary artery (LIMA) graft declamping; and post aorta declamping. The perfusion signal was calculated in late systole and late diastole, with expected minimum tissue motion, and compared with arrested heart measurements. Patient conditions or artifacts caused by surgical activity made it impossible to perform and analyse data in all six phases for some patients. No significant (n = 5) difference between perfusion signals pre- and post-CABG was found. Diastolic perfusion signal levels were significantly (p < 0.02) lower compared with systolic levels. After aorta cross-clamping, the signal level was almost zero. A distinct perfusion signal increase after LIMA and aorta declamping, compared with pre-LIMA declamping, was found in ten cases out of 13. A significantly (p < 0.04) lower perfusion signal in the arrested heart compared with in the beating heart was registered. Influence from mechanical ventilation was observed in 14 measurements out of 17. In conclusion, ECG-triggered LDPM can be used to assess myocardial perfusion during CABG. Perfusion signals were lower in the arrested heart compared with in the beating heart and in late diastole compared with late systole. No significant difference between pre- and post-CABG was found.

Adult↗

In vitro measurements of optical properties of porcine brain using a novel compact device.

Knowledge of the optical properties of tissues can be applied in numerous medical and scientific fields, including cancer diagnostics and therapy. There are many different ways of determining the optical properties of turbid media. The paper describes measurements of the optical properties of porcine brain tissue using novel instrumentation for simultaneous absorption and scattering characterisation of small turbid samples. Integrating sphere measurements are widely used as a reference method for determination of the optical properties of relatively thin turbid samples. However, this technique is associated with bulky equipment, complicated measuring techniques, interference compensation techniques and inconvenient sample handling. It is believed that the sphere for some applications can be replaced by a new, compact device, called the combined angular and spatially resolved head sensor, to measure the optical properties of thin turbid samples. The results compare very well with data obtained with an integrating sphere for well-defined samples. The instrument was shown to be accurate to within 12% for microa and 1% for micro's in measurements of intralipid-ink samples. The corresponding variations of data were 17% and 2%, respectively. The reduced scattering coefficient for porcine white matter was measured to be 100 cm(-1) at 633 nm, and the value for coagulated brain tissue was 65 cm(-1). The corresponding absorption coefficients were 2 and 3 cm(-1), respectively.

Animals↗

Non-invasive monitoring of gingival crevicular fluid for estimation of blood glucose level.

Development of a non-invasive method for measuring the blood glucose level is an urgent necessity, and putting such a method into practical use will enable some of the physical and mental stress that patients with diabetes have to endure to be removed. To realise a non-invasive blood glucose monitor, the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was measured. A GCF-collecting device was developed that was designed to be disposable, biocompatible and small enough to be inserted in the gingival crevice for collection of a sub-microlitre sample of GCF. Also, a high-sensitivity glucose testing tape incorporated in the device was developed. Red laser light in a portable optical device measured the colour density of the testing tape. Standard glucose solutions were used to investigate the measurement accuracy of the GCF glucose monitor and showed a correlation coefficient of R = 0.99 (n = 20) between the optical density and the glucose levels. The GCF glucose monitor was evaluated on healthy Swedish and Japanese adults (n = 10) and both GCF glucose levels (GCFLs) and blood glucose levels (BGLs) were measured in conjunction with meal loads. The GCFLs were about 1/10-1/560 lower than the BGLs. No difference in the range of GCFLs between the Swedish and the Japanese subjects was observed. Therefore it was concluded that physique, body mass index and life-style, such as dietary habit, did not significantly influence the GCFLs. Further, the correlation coefficients of all the subjects were 0.70 and 0.88 with each group. It was suggested that GCF could be used as a method of non-invasive blood glucose measurement.

Adult↗

Myocardial tissue motion influence on laser Doppler perfusion monitoring using tissue Doppler imaging.

Tissue motion of the beating heart generates large movement artifacts in the laser Doppler perfusion monitoring (LDPM) signal. The aim of the study was to use tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) to localise intervals during the cardiac cycle where the influence of movement artifacts on the LDPM signal is minimum. TDI velocities and LDPM signals were investigated on three calves, for normal heartbeat and during occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Intervals of low tissue velocity (TDIint, < 1 cm s(-1)) during the cardiac cycle were identified. During occlusion, these intervals were compared with low LDPM signal intervals (LDPMint, <50% compared with baseline). Low-velocity intervals were found in late systole (normal and occlusion) and late diastole (normal). Systolic intervals were longer and less sensitive to heart rate variation compared with diastolic ones. The overlap between LDPMint and TDIint in relation to TDIint length was 84+/-27% (n = 14). The LDPM signal was significantly (p < 0.001, n = 14) lower during occlusion if calculated during minimum tissue motion (inside TDIint), compared with averaging over the entire cardiac cycle without taking tissue motion into consideration. In conclusion, movement artifacts are reduced if the LDPM signal is correlated to the ECG and investigated during minimum wall motion. The optimum interval depends on the application; late systole and late diastole can be used.

Animals↗

Assessment of pigmented skin lesions in terms of blood perfusion estimates.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cutaneous malignant melanoma is a disease of increasing clinical and economical importance. The prognosis is good with early diagnosis. The chief differential diagnosis is benign melanocytic naevus, a common lesion in Caucasians. Attempts have been made to use bioengineering techniques to aid in the initial diagnosis. The present study proposes a method of extracting possibly discriminative blood perfusion properties in pigmented skin lesions by combining information on the lesions' blood perfusion with optical or visual information of their spatial extent. METHODS: A total of 46 blood perfusion measurements were performed on 22 pigmented skin lesions, the ultimate diagnosis of which was three histologically proven malignant melanomas, four histologically proven benign naevi and fifteen naevi assessed by two specialist dermatologists as being benign. Laser Doppler perfusion imaging gave two different types of two-dimensional data sets (64x64 pixels), one representing the total backscattered light intensity at each measurement point (TLI image) and the second corresponding to perfusion values. The boundaries of each examined lesion were derived from the TLI image employing greyscale thresholding, thus resulting in an estimated region of interest (ROI) approximating the optical extent of the lesion. The ROI was superimposed on the perfusion image and extraction of perfusion features was then performed. RESULTS: The processing of the TLI images was successful in delineating the lesions' boundaries. The first hypothesis that the mean perfusion quotients in MM and benign naevi are equal could not be rejected at the chosen 5% level of significance. The second hypothesis that the mean percent-age of elevated perfusion values (image pixels) within the ROI shows no difference between MM and benign naevi could be rejected at a 5% level of significance. CONCLUSIONS: This study has presented a method of extracting blood perfusion parameters of pigmented skin lesions by combining blood perfusion information with information on the lesion's optical extent. The proposed method of presenting data could prove to be a useful discriminative adjunct in the assessment of pigmented skin lesions.

Adult↗

Analysis and processing of laser Doppler perfusion monitoring signals recorded from the beating heart.

Laser Doppler perfusion monitoring (LDPM) can be used for monitoring myocardial perfusion in the non-beating heart. However, the movement of the beating heart generates large artifacts. Therefore the aim of the study was to develop an LDPM system capable of correlating the laser Doppler signals to the cardiac cycle and to process the signals to reduce the movement artifacts. Measurements were performed on three calves, both on the normal beating heart and during occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The recorded LDPM signals were digitally processed and correlated to the sampled ECG. Large variations in the output (perfusion) and DC signals during the cardiac cycle were found, with average coefficients of variation of 0.36 and 0.14 (n = 14), respectively. However, sections with a relatively low, stable output signal were found in late diastole, where the movement of the heart is at a minimum. Occlusion of the LAD showed the importance of recording the laser Doppler signals at an appropriate point in the cardiac cycle, in this case late systole, to minimise movement artifacts. It is possible to further reduce movement artifacts by increasing the lower cutoff frequency when calculating the output signal.

Animals↗

Guidelines for visualization of cutaneous blood flow by laser Doppler perfusion imaging. A report from the Standardization Group of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis based upon the HIRELADO European community project.

This report reviews how to set up a laser Doppler perfusion imaging system intended for visualization of skin blood perfusion, capture images and evaluate the results obtained. A brief summary of related papers published in the literature within the areas of skin irritant and allergy patch testing, microdialysis and skin tumour circulation is presented, as well as early applications within other fields such as diabetology, wound healing and microvascular research.

Humans↗

Analysis of temperature measurement for monitoring radio-frequency brain lesioning.

During ablative neurosurgery of movement disorders, for instance therapy of Parkinson's disease, temperature monitoring is crucial. This study aims at a quantitative comparison of measurement deviations between the maximum temperature located outside the lesioning electrode and two possible thermocouple locations inside the electrode. In order to obtain the detailed temperature field necessary for the analysis, four finite element models associated with different surroundings and with different power supplies are studied. The results from the simulations show that both the power level and the power density as well as the surrounding medium affect the temperature measurement and the temperature field in general. Since the maximum temperature is located outside the electrode there will always be a deviation in time and level between the measured and the maximum temperature. The deviation is usually 2-7 s and 3-12 degrees C, depending on, for example, the thermocouple location and surrounding medium. Therefore, not only the measured temperature but also the relation between measured and maximum temperature must be accounted for during therapy and device design.

Catheter Ablation↗

Phototesting based on a divergent beam--a study on normal subjects.

In a previous publication from our group, phototesting based on a single exposure to a divergent UVB beam with radially decreasing irradiance values was suggested. The aim of the present study was to evaluate technical, practical and biological aspects of the suggested method in normal subjects. Twenty healthy volunteers were provoked on the back with both a collimated beam (four fixed doses, in circular areas with a diameter of 1.5 cm) and the divergent beam (a continuous, radially attenuating dose spectrum covering an area with a diameter of 4.5 cm). Eleven of the subjects were subjected to double provocation with the divergent beam. Assessment was carried out at 6 and 24 h after exposure by measuring the diameter of the reactions both visually and by mapping the skin blood flow change with laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI). Minimal erythemal dose (MED) was determined for both the collimated and the divergent provocation. The reaction diameters were used to decide MED by combination to a mm for mm mapped dose spectrum of the divergent beam profile. Dose-response curves were plotted using the quantitative response data of the LDPI-images against the corresponding dosimetry data. No systematic difference could be proven between LDPI and visual diameters and a 95% confidence interval for the mean difference was calculated to (-0.8, 2.0). Slightly greater diameters were found at the visual assessment performed at 6 h compared to 24 h (95% confidence interval (-0.1, 2.8)). Double provocation showed a good reproducibility both for the visual and the LDPI assessment (P<0.05). The divergent beam provocation allowed a more detailed discrimination of MED compared to the collimated beam provocation. The MED values determined with the divergent beam were, however, generally higher, especially in the lower range of MED values. Technical factors related to the beam divergence and the correct measurement of erythemal effective irradiance are believed to be the explanation for this phenomenon, which is thus correctable. In conclusion, the results from this study support our belief that the phototesting protocol based on a divergent beam constitutes a good opportunity for improved phototesting, since MED and dose-response characteristics may be extracted in more detail from a single UV exposure.

Adult↗

A comparison between in vitro studies of protein lesions generated by brain electrodes and finite element model simulations.

The aim of this study was to develop a finite element model for simulation of the thermal characteristics of brain electrodes and to compare its performances with an in vitro experimental albumin model. Ten lesions were created in albumin using a monopolar electrode connected to a Leksell Neuro Generator and a computer-assisted video system was used to determine the size of the generated lesions. A finite element model was set up of the in vitro experiments using the same thermal properties. With a very simple heat source applied to the finite element model in the proximity of the upper part of the tip, a good agreement (no deviations in width and distance from tip but a deviation in length of -1.6 mm) with the in vitro experiments (width 4.6 +/- 0.1 mm and length 7.4 +/- 0.1 mm) was achieved when comparing the outline of the lesion. In addition, a gelatinous albumin-model was set up and compared to computer simulations resulting in deviations in width of -0.4 mm, length of -2.2 mm and distance from the tip of -0.1 mm. Hence, the utilisation of finite element model simulations may be a useful complement to in-vitro experiments.

Albumins↗

In vitro evaluation of brain lesioning electrodes (Leksell) using a computer-assisted video system.

Radiofrequency (RF) generated thermal brain lesions are widely used in functional neurosurgery. The size, shape and development of the lesions depends on system parameter settings and the electrode configuration. Difficulties in studying the effect of these factors in vivo stimulated us to develop an in vitro system for standardized comparison between different electrodes and physical parameters. A computer-assisted video system was set-up allowing continuous video recording of RF-generated coagulations in either a standard albumin solution or in the fresh white of a hen's egg as transparent test substrates. Ten lesions were made with each test electrode (two bipolar and three monopolar) in each of the two substrates at 70 degrees, 80 degrees and 90 degrees C (t = 60 sec). Due to the better homogeneity the lesions in the albumin solution were much more regular and reproducible. This made it possible to calculate the size (width 2.2 +/- 0.1 to 5.3 +/- 0.1 mm and length 3.0 +/- 0.1 to 8.7 +/- 0.3 mm) as well as the volume (8.5 +/- 1.4 mm3 to 133.5 +/- 26.8 mm3). It is concluded that this in vitro system offers a reproducible way to study and document the effect of different electrode configurations and RF-generator settings on the formation of a heat lesion. Even if the results are not directly applicable to the living human brain they give an estimate of the form and size of a coagulation lesion and can be of value for standardized comparisons between different electrodes.

Brain↗

Superficial blood flow following photodynamic therapy of malignant non-melanoma skin tumours measured by laser Doppler perfusion imaging.

Laser Doppler perfusion imaging offers a new modality for in vivo monitoring of the superficial blood perfusion in biological tissue. In this study, the superficial blood perfusion of malignant non-melanoma skin tumours and the surrounding normal skin was measured in conjunction with photodynamic therapy (PDT) using topical delta-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX as a photosensitizer. The results clearly show that, in contradiction to PDT with the intravenously administered photosensitizer Photofrin, no direct vascular damage can be seen. With the topical sensitization the blood perfusion is increased immediately after the treatment irradiation. The increased blood flow is seen up to a week after treatment, in a similar way as for an inflammatory reaction. Despite this, all basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma in situ lesions in this study healed without any sign of residual tumour after the treatment, suggesting an efficient direct tumour cell destruction induced by PDT.

Adult↗

Duplex laser Doppler perfusion imaging.

A duplex mode for recoding of both spatial and temporal blood perfusion components has been developed and evaluated. This modality, which has been implemented as a software module in the laser Doppler perfusion imager, consists of various local area scan (LAS) configurations. These include single-point recording or multipoint recording after repeated movements of the laser beam in quadratic patterns including 2 x 2 or 4 x 4 measurement sites. For the 2 x 2 and 4 x 4 LAS, the output value constitutes the average perfusion of all values captured within the actual region of interest. The 2 x 2 local area scan is corrected by time shifting the sequentially recorded measurement values at consecutive tissue sites, while the 4 x 4 LAS is presented as a vector of the individual subimages. With the standard setting of 65 msec for the signal integration time at each measurement site, the 1 x 1 and 2 x 2 LAS configurations can capture and reproduce perfusion signals with maximal bandwidths of 7.7 and 1.9 Hz, respectively. System evaluation showed that the signal integration time can be reduced to 45 msec without impaired signal quality, thereby further increasing the system bandwidth with a factor of about 1.5. Skin recordings showed that averaged time traces of adjacent measurement sites improve the signal-to-noise ration and allow for a more reliable analysis of, for example, the reactive hyperemic response. Individual time-trace extraction, however, showed reperfusion patterns that differed markedly between sites.

Humans↗

Human in vivo cutaneous microdialysis: estimation of histamine release in cold urticaria.

A novel bioanalytical in vivo sampling technique, cutaneous microdialysis, was used to follow the chronology of skin histamine release in 3 patients with cold urticaria and in 2 healthy volunteers. Laser Doppler perfusion imaging was used simultaneously to monitor the skin circulatory response. Microdialysis samples were collected at 10-min intervals and analysed by radioimmunoassay technique. Fifty minutes after probe insertion, the ventral forearm skin in the area of the dialysis membrane was provoked for 5-15 min with a 25 x 40 mm ice cube covered with plastic foil. In the cold urticaria patients, an up to 80-fold increase of histamine was observed, with peak levels 20-30 min after challenge. Histamine levels then fell to reach "baseline" levels within 50 min. In the healthy subjects, the histamine increase was earlier, less pronounced and of shorter duration. Cutaneous microdialysis and laser Doppler imaging offer new possibilities for the chronological multiparameter assessment of inflammatory skin disorders in vivo.

Adult↗

Spatial heterogeneity in normal skin perfusion recorded with laser Doppler imaging and flowmetry.

Spatial and temporal variations in forearm skin perfusion captured by laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDI) have been compared with topographic maps recorded by laser Doppler flowmetry. In order to determine the shortest LDI sampling time required at each measurement site, with an adequate signal-to-noise ratio and with the ability to display the heterogeneity in skin perfusion, the noise-limited resolution of the LDI system as well as various sampling times were tested. The noise-limited resolution for medium and high light intensities were less than 0.5% (temporal) and 0.3% (spatial) of full scale. A sampling time of 1 sec was selected and image presentation was made by performing bilinear interpolation between perfusion values. The same area (10 x 10 mm) was mapped with LDI and topographic mapping at seven different sites. In addition, a larger area covering the surrounding skin was recorded with LDI. The small area recordings with LDI and topographic mapping could be identified in the larger LDI image. High-and low-perfusion spots coincided between the two systems. Temporal variations were studied by repeated LDI recordings of the same areas as above. Small spots were selected in the areas and plotted versus time. Without provocation, the total perfusion changes at each spot showed large variations, but the relative perfusion levels between neighboring spots persisted. Provocation with heat increased the perfusion in all spots.

Adult↗

Changes in skin circulation after insertion of a microdialysis probe visualized by laser Doppler perfusion imaging.

Microdialysis makes possible in vivo estimation of endogenous and exogenous substances in the dermal extracellular space. Insertion of the microdialysis probe and its subsequent presence in the skin may affect both the reactivity of the skin test site and the measurement of target substances. Laser Doppler flowmetry is a non-invasive method for estimating cutaneous blood flow. A further development of this technique, laser Doppler perfusion imaging, has been used to study the time course of the circulatory changes caused in the area of microdialysis probe insertion. Laser Doppler perfusion imaging was performed prior to, during, and after microdialysis probe insertion in the skin of the ventral forearm in three subjects. Probe insertion caused an increase in skin blood perfusion in the whole test area. About 15 min after probe insertion, the flare, which is presumed to be of chiefly axon reflex origin, began to subside and the circulatory response could be seen to center around the site of insertion and the tip of the probe. Skin perfusion levels had returned to near normal levels within 60 min. Local anesthesia of the point of guide insertion inhibited the flare, but did not affect circulatory reactivity in the skin nearby. Both microdialysis and laser Doppler perfusion imaging seem to be promising new methods in dermatologic research.

Adult↗

Laser Doppler perfusion imaging by dynamic light scattering.

Imaging of tissue perfusion is important in assessing the influence of peripheral vascular disease on microcirculation. This paper reports on a laser Doppler perfusion imaging technique based on dynamic light scattering in tissue. When a laser beam sequentially scans the tissue (maximal area approximately 12 cm *12 cm), moving blood cells generate Doppler components in the back-scattered light. A fraction of this light is detected by a remote photodiode and converted into an electrical signal. In the signal processor, a signal proportional to the tissue perfusion at each measurement point is calculated and stored. When the scanning procedure is completed, the system generates a color-coded perfusion image on a monitor. A perfusion image is typically built up of data from 4,096 measurement sites, recorded during a time period of 4 min. This image has a spatial resolution of about 2 mm * 2 mm. A theory for the system inherent amplification factor dependence on the distance between individual measurement points and detector is proposed and correction measures are presented. The performance of the laser Doppler perfusion imager was evaluated using a flow simulator. The correlation coefficient between the estimated flow parameter and the perfusion through a mechanical flow simulator was calculated to r = 0.996. To assess the sampling depth of the laser beam, light scattering in tissue was simulated by a Monte Carlo technique. The average sampling depth for skin tissue was calculated to 200-240 microns, depending on the blood content.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Humans↗