Development of a 3‐dimensional tissue lung phantom of a preterm infant for optical measurements of oxygen—Laser‐detector position considerations

There is a need to further improve the clinical care of our most vulnerable patients—preterm infants. Novel diagnostic and treatment tools facilitate such advances. Here, we evaluate a potential percutaneous optical monitoring tool to assess the oxygen and water vapor content in the lungs of preterm babies. The aim is to prepare for further clinical studies by gaining a detailed understanding of how the measured light intensity and gas absorption signal behave for different possible geometries of light delivery and receiver. Such an experimental evaluation is conducted for the first time utilizing a specially developed 3‐dimensional‐printed optical phantom based on a geometry model obtained from computer tomography images of the thorax (chest) of a 1700‐g premature infant. The measurements yield reliable signals for source–detector distances up to about 50 mm, with stronger gas absorption signals at long separations and positions related to the lower part of the lung, consistent with a larger relative volume of this. The limitations of this study include the omission of scattering tissue within the lungs and that similar optical properties are used for the wavelengths employed for the 2 gases, yielding no indication on the optimal wavelength pair to use.      

Inside Back Cover: In vivo full‐field functional optical hemocytometer (J. Biophotonics 2/2018)

Full‐field functional optical hemocytometer (FFOH), based on the absorption intensity fluctuation modulation (AIFM) effect, is in vivo label‐free image method for capillaries of near‐transparent live biological specimens. FFOH can provide a flow video, flow velocity measurement and RBC count, simultaneously. The zebrafish experimental result shows the potential to study the physiological mechanisms of the blood circulation systems. Further details can be found in the article by Fuli Zhang et al. ( e201700039 )

     

Back Cover: In‐vitro analysis of early calcification in aortic valvular interstitial cells using Laser‐Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) (J. Biophotonics 1/2018)

Quantitative laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is successfully used for in‐vitro analysis of early stage calcification in aortic valvular interstitial cells (VICs). LIBS results indicate 5‐fold improvement in the detection limit of calcium deposition in VICs over cell histology techniques involving staining and colorimetric calcium assays. These results can establish LIBS at the forefront of early detection of calcification in VICs for pathological studies on Calcific Aortic Valve Disease (CAVD). Further details can be found in the article by Seyyed Ali Davari et al. ( e201600288 ).