Validation of Dynamic optical coherence tomography for non-invasive, in vivo microcirculation imaging of the skin

TY - JOUR

T1 - Validation of Dynamic optical coherence tomography for non-invasive, in vivo microcirculation imaging of the skin

AU - Themstrup, L.

AU - Welzel, Julia

AU - Ciardo, Silvana

AU - Kaestle, R.

AU - Ulrich, M

AU - Holmes, Michael J.

AU - Whitehead, Richard

AU - Sattler, E. C.

AU - Kindermann, N.

AU - Pellacani, G.

AU - Jemec, G. B.E.

PY - 2016/9/1

Y1 - 2016/9/1

N2 - Objectives: Dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT) is an angiographic variation of OCT that non-invasively provides images of the in vivo microvasculature of the skin by combining conventional OCT images with flow data. The objective of this study was to investigate and report on the D-OCT technique for imaging of the vascular networks in skin as well as to validate the method by comparing the results against already accepted blood flow measuring tools. Methods: 35 healthy subjects were recruited for the multicentre study, consisting of three experiments set up to examine the vascular blood perfusion during different induced physiologic changes in the blood flow. In order to validate the D-OCT images against existing techniques for blood flow measuring we performed consecutive D-OCT, chromametry and laser speckle contrast imager (LSCI) measurements on identical skin sites in all of the experiments. Blinded observer evaluations were performed in order to evaluate the vascular morphology in the D-OCT images. Results: The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between the D-OCT measurements and the LCSI flux measurements (rs = 0.494; 95% CI [0.357, 0.615]; p < 0.001), and also the redness a measurements were positively correlated with the D-OCT measurements (r = 0.48; 95% CI [0.406, 0.55]). D-OCT was able to reliably image and identify morphologic changes in the vascular network consistent with the induced physiological changes of blood flow. Conclusion: This study has initiated validation of the use of D-OCT for imaging of skin blood flow. Our results showed that D-OCT was able to reliably image and identify changes in the skin vasculature consistent with the induced physiological blood flow changes. These basic findings support the use of D-OCT imaging for in vivo microcirculation imaging of the skin.

AB - Objectives: Dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT) is an angiographic variation of OCT that non-invasively provides images of the in vivo microvasculature of the skin by combining conventional OCT images with flow data. The objective of this study was to investigate and report on the D-OCT technique for imaging of the vascular networks in skin as well as to validate the method by comparing the results against already accepted blood flow measuring tools. Methods: 35 healthy subjects were recruited for the multicentre study, consisting of three experiments set up to examine the vascular blood perfusion during different induced physiologic changes in the blood flow. In order to validate the D-OCT images against existing techniques for blood flow measuring we performed consecutive D-OCT, chromametry and laser speckle contrast imager (LSCI) measurements on identical skin sites in all of the experiments. Blinded observer evaluations were performed in order to evaluate the vascular morphology in the D-OCT images. Results: The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between the D-OCT measurements and the LCSI flux measurements (rs = 0.494; 95% CI [0.357, 0.615]; p < 0.001), and also the redness a measurements were positively correlated with the D-OCT measurements (r = 0.48; 95% CI [0.406, 0.55]). D-OCT was able to reliably image and identify morphologic changes in the vascular network consistent with the induced physiological changes of blood flow. Conclusion: This study has initiated validation of the use of D-OCT for imaging of skin blood flow. Our results showed that D-OCT was able to reliably image and identify changes in the skin vasculature consistent with the induced physiological blood flow changes. These basic findings support the use of D-OCT imaging for in vivo microcirculation imaging of the skin.

KW - Chromametry

KW - Dynamic optical coherence tomography

KW - Laser speckle contrast imaging

KW - Non-invasive imaging

KW - OCT angiography

KW - Skin microcirculation

KW - Speckle variance OCT

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84975082527&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.mvr.2016.05.004

DO - 10.1016/j.mvr.2016.05.004

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27235002

AN - SCOPUS:84975082527

SN - 0026-2862

VL - 107

SP - 97

EP - 105

JO - Microvascular Research

JF - Microvascular Research

ER -