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Published on: April 17, 2018
High Sensitivity of T-Ray for Thrombus Sensing
Chi-Kuang Sun1,2,3,4, Hui-Yuan Chen5,6, Tzu-Fang Tseng5,6
1Department of Electrical Engineering and Graduate Institute of Photonics and Optoelectronics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan. sun@ntu.edu.tw.
Terahertz (T-ray) imaging can detect early-stage thrombus formation in blood. This breakthrough technology offers high sensitivity for identifying blood clots, crucial for cardiovascular disease risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Medical Imaging
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease, driven by atherosclerotic plaque rupture and thrombus formation, is a leading global cause of mortality.
- Early detection of thrombus formation is critical for preventing severe cardiovascular events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the sensitivity of 200-270 GHz Terahertz (T-ray) imaging in distinguishing early-stage thrombus formation from uncoagulated blood.
- To investigate the potential of T-ray technology for early identification of atherothrombotic disorders.
Main Methods:
- A clinical observational study involving 29 subjects monitored T-ray absorption of ex-vivo human blood during thrombus formation.
- Comparison with a control group (28 subjects) using uncoagulated blood samples.
- Analysis of T-ray absorption constant changes correlated with platelet activation and solvation dynamics during coagulation.
Main Results:
- 200-270 GHz T-ray imaging demonstrated high sensitivity in detecting thrombus formation.
- A statistically significant difference (p < 10^-5) was observed between coagulated and uncoagulated blood samples.
- Changes in T-ray absorption were linked to the platelet-activated thrombotic cascade and altered blood solvation dynamics.
Conclusions:
- 200-270 GHz T-ray technology can effectively detect early-stage thrombus formation in blood.
- This non-invasive imaging method shows promise for timely risk assessment in patients with atherothrombotic disorders.
- Early detection via T-ray imaging could significantly improve patient outcomes and reduce mortality.
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