Chen Andrew, Osman Omar B, Harris Zachery B, Abazri Azin, Honkanen Robert, Arbab M Hassan
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
Co-first authors with equal contribution.
Biomed Opt Express. 2020 Feb 7;11(3):1284-1297. doi: 10.1364/BOE.382826. eCollection 2020 Mar 1.
Perturbation of normal corneal water content is a common manifestation of many eye diseases. Terahertz (THz) imaging has the potential to serve as a clinical tool for screening and diagnosing such corneal diseases. In this study, we first investigate the diffusive properties of a corneal phantom using simultaneous THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and gravimetric measurements. We will then utilize a variable-thickness diffusion model combined with a stratified composite-media model to simulate changes in thickness, hydration profile, and the THz-TDS signal as a function of time. The simulated THz-TDS signals show very good agreement with the reflection measurements. Results show that the THz-TDS technique can be used to understand water diffusion dynamics in corneal phantoms as a step towards future quantitative hydration sensing.
正常角膜含水量的改变是许多眼部疾病的常见表现。太赫兹(THz)成像有潜力成为筛查和诊断此类角膜疾病的临床工具。在本研究中,我们首先使用太赫兹时域光谱(THz-TDS)和重量测量法来研究角膜模型的扩散特性。然后,我们将利用可变厚度扩散模型结合分层复合介质模型来模拟厚度、水合分布以及太赫兹时域光谱信号随时间的变化。模拟的太赫兹时域光谱信号与反射测量结果显示出非常好的一致性。结果表明,太赫兹时域光谱技术可用于了解角膜模型中的水扩散动力学,作为未来定量水合传感的第一步。