Regina Choe University of Rochester

Title: Diffuse Optics for Noninvasive Hemodynamic Monitoring of Bone, Brain, and Breast

Diffuse optics is an optical technique that can non-invasively probe hemodynamic parameters of deep tissue using light sources in the near-infrared spectral window (650 – 950 nm). With diffuse optical spectroscopy and tomography technique, the photon propagation model based on diffusion equation enables one to decouple the absorption and scattering, thus quantify oxygenated hemoglobin, deoxygenated hemoglobin, water and lipid concentrations. Blood flow can be quantified by measuring the temporal intensity autocorrelation function of diffusing light with diffuse correlation spectroscopy and tomography technique. These intrinsic physiological parameters have great potential to assess therapeutic efficacy of various treatments. In addition, the use of non-ionizing radiation and technologically simple, fast, inexpensive instrumentation makes diffuse optics attractive for translational research.

In this presentation, theoretical background and instrumentation of these techniques will be introduced. Afterwards, the potential utility of diffuse optics will be demonstrated through three different applications. First, we will show the possibility of utilizing early longitudinal changes in blood flow and total hemoglobin concentration to predict the quality of healing after bone injuries in a murine injury model. Second, we will introduce our approach to detect brain injury in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment using non-invasive multi-modal brain monitoring. Lastly, we will demonstrate the potential to predict treatment efficacy for breast cancer chemotherapy based on temporal hemodynamic changes.