In this paper, we propose a method to quantify red blood cell (RBC) flow through capillary loops and microvessels using optical microangiography (OMAG). Current existing methods of capillary flow quantification either require a very long scanning time (~few minutes) or a large acquisition number per location (+100 scans per location) to form a highresolution spectral estimation. We utilize a model-based super-resolution spectral estimation technique based on principle of orthogonality to quantify moving RBCs within a voxel. The scanning protocol required for our method is very similar to 3D ultrahigh sensitive OMAG that requires few scans per location (8) and can be performed in few seconds that makes it applicable for in vivo experiments. This method is analogous to power Doppler in ultrasonography and estimates the number of red blood cells passing through the beam as opposed to the velocity of the particles. The technique is tested both qualitatively and quantitatively by using OMAG to image microcirculation within mouse ear flap in vivo.

Date Published: 4 March 2014
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 8934, Optical Coherence Tomography and Coherence Domain Optical Methods in Biomedicine XVIII, 89341J (4 March 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2041633

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8934:
Optical Coherence Tomography and Coherence Domain Optical Methods in Biomedicine XVIII
Joseph A. Izatt; James G. Fujimoto; Valery V. Tuchin, Editor(s)