Optical System Design for Noncontact, Normal Incidence, THz Imaging of in vivo Human Cornea

Optical System Design for Noncontact, Normal Incidence, THz Imaging of in vivo Human Cornea

Sung, Shijun (University of California)
Dabironezare, Shahab Oddin (TU Delft Tera-Hertz Sensing)
Llombart, Nuria (TU Delft Tera-Hertz Sensing)
Selvin, Skyler (University of California)
Bajwa, Neha (University of California)
Chantra, Somporn (University of California)
Nowroozi, Bryan (University of California)
Garritano, James (University of California)
Goell, Jacob (University of California)
Li, Alex (University of California)
Deng, S.X. (TU Delft OLD Complex Projects)
Brown, Elliott (Wright State University)
Grundfest, Warren S. (University of California)
Taylor, Zachary D. (University of California)

2018

Reflection-mode terahertz (THz) imaging of corneal tissue water content (CTWC) is a proposed method for early accurate detection and study of corneal diseases. Despite promising results from ex vivo and in vivo cornea studies, interpretation of the reflectivity data is confounded by the contact between corneal tissue and dielectric windows used to flatten the imaging field. Herein, we present an optical design for noncontact THz imaging of cornea. A beam-scanning methodology performs angular normal incidence sweeps of a focused beam over the corneal surface while keeping the source, detector, and patient stationary. A quasi-optical analysis method is developed to analyze the theoretical resolution and imaging field intensity profile. These results are compared to the electric field distribution computed with a physical optics analysis code. Imaging experiments validate the optical theories behind the design and suggest that quasi-optical methods are sufficient for designing of THz corneal imaging systems. Successful imaging operations support the feasibility of noncontact in vivo imaging. We believe that this optical system design will enable the first, clinically relevant, in vivo exploration of CTWC using THz technology.

Biological and medical imaging
clinical instruments
medical diagnostics
terahertz (THz) imaging of cornea

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:a3484612-17e6-4c09-9eae-b99353d44d6c

https://doi.org/10.1109/TTHZ.2017.2771754

2156-342X

IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology, 8 (1), 1-12

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2018 Shijun Sung, Shahab Oddin Dabironezare, Nuria Llombart, Skyler Selvin, Neha Bajwa, Somporn Chantra, Bryan Nowroozi, James Garritano, Jacob Goell, Alex Li, S.X. Deng, Elliott Brown, Warren S. Grundfest, Zachary D. Taylor