SignificanceThe gas in scattering media absorption spectroscopy (GASMAS) technique has the potential for continuous, clinical monitoring of preterm infant lung function, removing the need for X-ray diagnosis and reliance on indirect and relatively slow measurement of blood oxygenation.AimWe aim to determine the optimal source–detector configuration for reliable pathlength calculation and to estimate the oxygen gas concentration inside the lung cavities filled with humidified gas with four different oxygen gas concentrations ranging between 21% and 100%.ApproachAnthropomorphic optical phantoms of neonatal thorax with two different geometries were used to acquire GASMAS signals, for 30 source–detector configurations in transmittance and remittance geometry of phantoms in two sizes.ResultsThe results show that an internal light administration is more likely to provide a high GASMAS signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In general, better SNRs were obtained with the smaller set of phantoms. The values of pathlength and O2 concentrations calculated with signals from the phantoms with optical properties at 820 nm exhibit higher variations than signals from the phantoms with optical properties at 764 nm.ConclusionOur study shows that, by moving the source and detector over the thorax, most of the lung volumes can potentially be assessed using the GASMAS technique.
Significance: Gas in scattering media absorption spectroscopy (GASMAS) enables noninvasive gas sensing in the body. It is developing as a tool for diagnosis and monitoring of respiratory conditions in neonates. Phantom models with relevant features to the clinical translation of GASMAS technology are necessary to understand technical challenges and potential applications of this technique. State-of-the-art phantoms designed for this purpose have focused on the optical properties and anthropomorphic geometry of the thorax, contributing to the source–detector placement, design, and optimization. Lung phantom mimicking the alveolar anatomy has not been included in the existent models due to the inherent complexity of the tissue. We present a simplified model that recreates inflated alveoli embedded in lung phantom.
Aim: The goal of this study was to build a lung model with air-filled structures mimicking inflated alveoli surrounded by optical phantom with accurate optical properties (μa = 0.50 cm − 1 and μs′=5.4 cm−1) and physiological parameters [37°C and 100% relative humidity (RH)], and to control the air volume within the phantom to demonstrate the feasibility of GASMAS in sensing changes in pulmonary air volume.
Approach: The lung model was built using a capillary structure with analogous size to alveolar units. Part of the capillaries were filled with liquid lung optical phantom to recreate scattering and absorption, whereas empty capillaries mimicked air filled alveoli. The capillary array was placed inside a custom-made chamber that maintained pulmonary temperature and RH. The geometry of the chamber permitted the placement of the laser head and detector of a GASMAS bench top system (MicroLab Dual O2 / H2O), to test the changes in volume of the lung model in transmittance geometry.
Results: The lung tissue model with air volume range from 6.89 × 10 − 7 m3 to 1.80 × 10 − 3 m3 was built. Two measurement sets, with 10 different capillary configurations each, were arranged to increase or decrease progressively (in steps of 3.93 × 10 − 8 m3) the air volume in the lung model. The respective GASMAS data acquisition was performed for both data sets. The maximum absorption signal was obtained for configurations with the highest number of air-filled capillaries and decreased progressively when the air spaces were replaced by capillaries filled with liquid optical phantom. Further studies are necessary to define the minimum and maximum volume of air that can be measured with GASMAS-based devices for different source–detector geometries.
Conclusions: The optical properties and the structure of tissue from the respiratory zone have been modeled using a simplified capillary array immersed in a controlled environment chamber at pulmonary temperature and RH. The feasibility of measuring volume changes with GASMAS technique has been proven, stating a new possible application of GASMAS technology in respiratory treatment and diagnostics.
A standardized approach to develop a reliable, reproducible, stable phantoms was proposed. A well-established instrument validation protocol (MEDPHOT) was adopted for this purpose. This approach was tested on two phantom recipes (silicone and polyurethane) over broadband (600-1100 nm) wavelength covering a wider range of optical properties (absorption 0.1-1 cm-1, reduced scattering 5-20 cm-1) relevant to human tissue. As an application of the recipe, a reliable tissue-mimicking 3D anthropomorphic head phantom was presented.
Significance: Gas in scattering media absorption spectroscopy (GASMAS) is a technique for gas sensing in cavities surrounded by scattering materials. GASMAS could be translated to the clinic to monitor lung function continuously and noninvasively in neonates. Accurate tissue phantoms are essential to assess the strengths and limitations of gas spectroscopy in gas-containing cavities in the human body.
Aim: The aim is to develop a detailed protocol to produce a long-lasting, multistructure tissue phantom of the thorax of a neonate. The phantom mimics the geometry and the optical properties of the main organs of the thorax and has an empty pulmonary cavity that facilitates GASMAS monitoring of gas content.
Approach: The anatomic geometry of heart, lungs, bones, muscle, fat, and skin was obtained from a neonatal computed tomography scan. Once segmented, organs were 3D printed and used to create negative rubber molds. The entire thorax was built in phantom material (silicone as matrix, black ink as absorber, and silica microspheres as scatters) by placing all phantom organs inside the muscle structure. Our phantom recipe was customized by mixing specific ratios of ink and spheres to match the optical properties of the different organs that were consider to be homogeneous.
Results: An anthropomorphic thorax phantom with the desired optical properties (μa and μs′) at 760 nm was built and used to obtain “transdermal” GASMAS measurements of oxygen content within the lung cavity.
Conclusion: A protocol to build a robust optical phantom of the thorax of a neonate was used to conduct benchtop studies. This recipe can be implemented to reproduce the geometry and optical properties of any human or animal tissue.
Gas in scattering media absorption spectroscopy shortly called GASMAS, is a tunable diode laser spectroscopic technique developed for the measurement of gas present in turbid media. The technique relies on the sharp and specific absorption lines of gases which enables sensitive measurements of gas concentrations in the presence of a scattering solid medium with much broader absorption features. The Biophotonics laboratory at Tyndall National Institute (Biophotonics@Tyndall) is currently exploring the clinical translation of GASMAS technology into the respiratory healthcare of neonates. In this study, we use computational tools to assess the potential gain in gas absorption signal. One of the challenges in the development of the GASMAS technique is to obtain a sufficiently good signal in the measurements, as the light attenuation is high in tissue and the lungs are interior organs. To have an estimation of the capabilities and limitations in this specific application of gas spectroscopy, we model the transmission of near infrared (NIR) light in tissue when a 760 nm source and a set of 68 detectors are placed in different locations over the thorax. We segmented the main organs of the thorax from anonymized DICOM images of a neonate. This is followed by the creation of 3D computational models to solve light propagation with the diffusion equation, and the modelling of light propagation through the thorax of an infant including optical properties of lung, heart, arteries, bone, muscle, trachea, fat and skin. Finally, we calculate a map of the optimal light source – detector configurations to obtain the highest signal from oxygen gas imprint in the lungs. The use of computational tools such as NIRFAST Slicer 2.0 for investigation and further understanding of the advantages and limitations of the technology is fundamental.
Such simulations enable the recreation of different clinical scenarios and identification of the minimum requirements necessary to further improve the application and develop a bedside clinical device that can potentially be used for continuous monitoring of lung function and control of ventilator settings. The potential capability of measuring non-invasively oxygen, water vapour and carbon dioxide in the lungs, would reduce the need for intubation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, as well as lower the incidences of chronic lung disease.
We present a well-tested, broadband (600-1100 nm) characterized phantom recipe to manufacture tissue mimicking optical phantoms over a wider range of optical properties (absorption 0.1-1 cm-1, reduced scattering 5-25 cm-1) relevant to human organs. The results of various tests like linearity, reproducibility, homogeneity showed the phantom recipe is robust with less than 4 % coefficient of variation (CV). Finally, a non-scattering 3D phantom of the infant's torso was presented to project the futuristic aspect of our work that is to 3D print human organs of biomedical relevance.
Pulmonary X-ray imaging together with pulse oximetry are harmful and invasive techniques used to monitor and diagnose the clinical course of lung dysfunction in preterm born infants which most of the cases suffer Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) [1]. Biophotonics@Tyndall is exploring Gas in Scattering Media Absorption Spectroscopy (GASMAS) [2] as a novel non-invasive technique to measure continuously absolute lung oxygen volume and concentration. This could assist and improve the assessment of lung function in neonates [3].
In this paper, we present results of bench-top measurements carried out in the preclinical phase of GASMAS studies. We start with a detailed explanation of the manufacturing process of multi-structure thorax phantoms with realistic geometry based on organ segmentation from anonymized DICOM images of neonates. After segmentation, the organs are 3D printed and used to create negative rubber molds. The tissue optical properties of heart, bone and muscle are assigned by mixing the silicone matrix with different concentrations of absorbers and scatters, the lung is kept as a gas content cavity and the thorax phantom is build up by placing all organs inside out immersed in the muscle structure.
The phantoms are used for quality control and validation of the system performance [4]. Oxygen gas absorption imprints are measured for different light source-detector remittance configurations and the results are used to define the potential and limitations of the GASMAS technology in the development of a bed-side clinical device.
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