US 7,983,740 B2 · High performance imaging system for diffuse optical tomography and associated method of use

Abstract

A high performance imaging system for diffuse optical tomography is disclosed. A dense grid utilizing sources, e.g., light emitting diodes (“LEDs”), that achieve high performance at high speed with a high dynamic range and low inter-channel crosstalk are complemented by a system of discrete, isolated receivers, e.g., avalanche photodiodes (“APDs”). The source channels have dedicated reconfigurable encoding control signals, and the detector channels have reconfigurable decoding, allowing maximum flexibility and optimal mixtures of frequency and time encoding and decoding. Each detector channel is analyzed by dedicated, isolated, high-bandwidth receiver circuitry so that no channel gain switching is necessary. The resulting improvements to DOT system performance, e.g., increased dynamic range and decreased crosstalk, enable higher density imaging arrays and provide significantly enhanced DOT image quality. A processor can be utilized to provide sophisticated three dimensional modeling as well as noise reduction.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An imaging system for diffuse optical tomography comprising:

a plurality of light sources, each light source being connected to a separate, isolated digitally controlled power source and being isolated from each other light source;
a plurality of light conduits connected to the plurality of light sources;
an optode grid attachable to a portion of a human subject, wherein the optode grid is connected to the plurality of light conduits;
a plurality of detector channels connected to the optode grid for receiving light from the plurality of light sources after interacting with the human subject;
a plurality of light detectors, each light detector being coupled to only one of the detector channels for instantaneously detecting light received by its coupled channel, each light detector having a separate, isolated power source;
and
a plurality of analog to digital converters (ADCs), each ADC connected to only one light detector and converting signals from its connected light detector into a separate digital signals for use in imaging.

4 more elements

A method for utilizing an imaging system for diffuse optical tomography comprising:

attaching an optode grid to a portion of a human subject, wherein the optode grid design is connected to the plurality of light conduits that are connected to a plurality of light sources, wherein each light source is electrically connected to a separate, isolated digital input power source, and wherein each light source has a separate digital control input for individual programming;
utilizing a plurality of light detectors that are connected to the optode grid via a plurality of detector channels for instantaneously detecting light received at the detector channels, said received light provided by the plurality of light sources after interacting with the human subject, wherein each light detector is coupled to only one of the detector channels, and wherein each light detector has a separate, isolated power source;
and
converting a plurality of individual signals from the plurality of light detectors into a plurality of digital signals for imaging with a plurality of analog to digital converters (ADCs), wherein each ADC connects to only one light detector, and wherein each ADC converts signals only from its connected light detector.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

High performance imaging system for diffuse optical tomography and associated method of use

Life of this patent

High performance imaging system for diffuse optical tomography and associated method of use

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24