Fast Imaging System and Algorithm for Monitoring Microlymphatics
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abstract
The lymphatic system is not well understood and tools to quantify aspects of its behavior are needed. A technique to monitor lymph velocity that can lead to flow, the main determinant of transport, in a near real time manner can be extremely valuable. We recently built a new system that measures lymph velocity, vessel diameter and contractions using optical microscopy digital imaging with a high speed camera (500fps) and a complex processing algorithm. The processing time for a typical data period was significantly reduced to less than 3 minutes in comparison to our previous system in which readings were available 30 minutes after the vessels were imaged. The processing was based on a correlation algorithm in the frequency domain, which, along with new triggering methods, reduced the processing and acquisition time significantly. In addition, the use of a new data filtering technique allowed us to acquire results from recordings that were irresolvable by the previous algorithm due to their high noise level. The algorithm was tested by measuring velocities and diameter changes in rat mesenteric micro-lymphatics. We recorded velocities of 0.25mm/s on average in vessels of diameter ranging from 54um to 140um with phasic contraction strengths of about 6 to 40%. In the future, this system will be used to monitor acute effects that are too fast for previous systems and will also increase the statistical power when dealing with chronic changes. Furthermore, we plan on expanding its functionality to measure the propagation of the contractile activity. 2010 Copyright SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering.
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Optical Diagnostics and Sensing X: Toward Point-of-Care Diagnostics
