Using the dynamic forward scattering signal for optical coherence tomography based blood flow quantification.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Optics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Existing optical coherence tomography (OCT) methods for blood flow quantification rely on back-scattered light from red blood cells (RBCs).
• These methods can be limited by factors such as vessel orientation and signal attenuation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential advantages of using forward-scattered light from RBCs for blood flow measurements.
• To introduce and demonstrate dynamic forward-scattering (DFS) flowmetry as a novel OCT-based technique.

Main Methods:

• Experimental investigation of light forward-scattering by RBCs for flowmetry.
• Development and application of dynamic forward-scattering (DFS) flowmetry.
• In vivo demonstration in human retinal and choroidal vasculature.

Main Results:

• Forward-scattering based flowmetry is insensitive to vessel orientation when vessels are orthogonal to the imaging beam.
• Proof-of-principle demonstrations of DFS flowmetry in human retinal and choroidal vessels were successful.
• DFS flowmetry provides a new approach for quantifying blood flow in ocular tissues.

Conclusions:

• Dynamic forward-scattering (DFS) flowmetry presents a promising alternative to traditional back-scattering OCT methods for blood flow quantification.
• This technique may overcome limitations associated with vessel orientation, enhancing the reliability of blood flow measurements in ophthalmology.
• DFS flowmetry has the potential to improve diagnostic capabilities for various vascular conditions affecting the eye.