Capillary blood flow imaging within human finger cuticle using optical microangiography

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Medical Imaging
• Microcirculation Research

Background:

• Capillary blood flow is crucial for tissue health.
• Altered microcirculation is implicated in various diseases.
• Non-invasive imaging methods are needed for diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate non-invasive 3D imaging of capillary blood flow.
• To utilize Doppler optical microangiography (DOMAG) and ultra-high sensitive optical microangiography (UHS-OMAG).
• To enable quantitative assessment of cutaneous blood flow.

Main Methods:

• Employed Doppler optical microangiography (DOMAG) for wide velocity range.
• Utilized ultra-high sensitive optical microangiography (UHS-OMAG) for high-resolution morphology.
• Performed non-invasive 3D imaging of human finger cuticle capillary loops.

Main Results:

• Achieved red blood cell (RBC) axial velocity mapping (±0.9 mm/s and ±0.3 mm/s).
• Acquired high-resolution images of capillary morphology.
• Demonstrated feasibility of non-invasive microcirculation assessment.

Conclusions:

• DOMAG and UHS-OMAG are effective for 3D imaging of finger cuticle capillaries.
• This technology can aid in clinical trials for diseases affecting microcirculation.
• Quantifying cutaneous blood flow changes shows promise for disease diagnosis and monitoring.