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Special Issue "Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications"

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2017

Special Issue Editors

Guest Editor
Dr. Dragan Indjin

Reader (Associate Professor) in Optoelectronics and Nanoscale Electronics, Institute of Microwaves and Photonics, School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
Website | E-Mail
Interests: mid-Infrared and terahertz quantum-cascade lasers; quantum-well infrared photodetectors; terahertz and infrared imaging; bio-medical laser sensing; medical imaging; quantum dots; electron transport and thermal modelling
Guest Editor
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Željka Cvejić

Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 4, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Website1 | Website2 | E-Mail
Interests: structure and microstructure of nano-materials; design and optimization of electrical, magnetic and optical properties of nano-ferrites; biomedical structural analysis; X-Ray diffraction; Raman spectroscopy and imaging; vibrational spectroscopy; scattering; structure modeling
Guest Editor
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Jędrzejewska-Szczerska

Associate Professor in Optoelectronics, Department of Metrology and Optoelectronics, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
Website1 | Website2 | E-Mail
Interests: fiber optic sensors; biophotonics; medical imaging; human body detection sensors; biomedical optics and lasers; optical coherent tomography

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The recent advances in optical sources and detectors have opened up new opportunities for sensing and imaging techniques and biomedical and healthcare applications. This Special Issue of Sensors, entitled "Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications", will focus on all aspects of the research and development related to these areas.

Original research papers that focus on the design and experimental verification of new sensors and imaging system operating in optical spectra, as well as papers that focus on their testing for biomedical and clinical applications, are welcome.

Both reviews and original research articles will be published. Reviews should provide an up-to-date, well-balanced overview of the current state-of-the-art in a particular application and include main results from other groups.

We look forward to, and welcome, your participation in this Special Issue.

Dr. Dragan Indjin,
Dr. Željka Cvejić
Dr. Małgorzata Jędrzejewska-Szczerska
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sensing mechanisms
  • biological sensor
  • chemical sensors
  • medical sensors
  • physical sensors
  • fiber optic sensor
  • Raman sensing and imaging
  • spectral imaging
  • multispectral imaging
  • computational optical sensing and imaging
  • imaging spectroscopy
  • optical medical imaging
  • optical coherent tomography
  • optical tomography
  • optical feedback interferometry

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle Cataract Surgery Performed by High Frequency LDV Z8 Femtosecond Laser: Safety, Efficacy, and Its Physical Properties
by , and
Sensors 2017, 17(6), 1429; doi:10.3390/s17061429
Received: 31 March 2017 / Revised: 29 May 2017 / Accepted: 15 June 2017 / Published: 18 June 2017
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Abstract
Background: The aim of our study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of the LDV Z8 femtosecond laser in cataract surgery compared to the conventional procedure. Methods: This prospective study was performed at the Swiss Eye Research Foundation, Eye Clinic ORASIS, Reinach,
[...] Read more.
Background: The aim of our study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of the LDV Z8 femtosecond laser in cataract surgery compared to the conventional procedure. Methods: This prospective study was performed at the Swiss Eye Research Foundation, Eye Clinic ORASIS, Reinach, Switzerland. The study included 130 eyes from 130 patients: 68 treated with femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) using the FEMTO LDV Z8 and 62 treated with conventional phacoemulsification. Capsulotomy and lens fragmentation in the laser group were performed with the FEMTO LDV Z8 femtosecond laser system, which employs a new, low-energy, high repetition rate laser process for cataract surgery. In the conventional group, the capsulotomy was performed by a cystotome, and lens fragmentation was achieved by the stop-and-chop. Results: Ease of phacoemulsification (on a 4-point scale), the completeness of capsulotomy (on a 10-point scale), effective phacoemulsification time (seconds), uncorrected distance visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected distance visual acuity (BSCVA), spherical equivalent (SE), and safety of the procedure were evaluated. The total follow-up time was three months. Conclusions: FLACS with the FEMTO LDV Z8 system was characterized by complete and reproducible capsulotomy and highly effective lens fragmentation. Postoperative visual outcomes were excellent, and the safety of the procedure was optimal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Open AccessArticle A Novel Laser Refractive Surgical Treatment for Presbyopia: Optics-Based Customization for Improved Clinical Outcome
by , , , and
Sensors 2017, 17(6), 1367; doi:10.3390/s17061367
Received: 31 March 2017 / Revised: 25 May 2017 / Accepted: 7 June 2017 / Published: 13 June 2017
PDF Full-text (3425 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text
Abstract
Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a proven treatment method for corneal refractive surgery. Surgically induced higher order optical aberrations were a major reason why the method was only rarely used to treat presbyopia, an age-related near-vision loss. In this study, a
[...] Read more.
Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a proven treatment method for corneal refractive surgery. Surgically induced higher order optical aberrations were a major reason why the method was only rarely used to treat presbyopia, an age-related near-vision loss. In this study, a novel customization algorithm for designing multifocal ablation patterns, thereby minimizing induced optical aberrations, was used to treat 36 presbyopic subjects. Results showed that most candidates went from poor visual acuity to uncorrected 20/20 vision or better for near (78%), intermediate (92%), and for distance (86%) vision, six months after surgery. All subjects were at 20/25 or better for distance and intermediate vision, and a majority (94%) were also better for near vision. Even though further studies are necessary, our results suggest that the employed methodology is a safe, reliable, and predictable refractive surgical treatment for presbyopia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Open AccessArticle Excimer Laser Surgery: Biometrical Iris Eye Recognition with Cyclorotational Control Eye Tracker System
by , , , and
Sensors 2017, 17(6), 1211; doi:10.3390/s17061211
Received: 26 March 2017 / Revised: 22 May 2017 / Accepted: 23 May 2017 / Published: 25 May 2017
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Abstract
A prospective comparative study assessing the importance of the intra-operative dynamic rotational tracking—especially in the treatment of astigmatisms in corneal refractive Excimer laser correction—concerning clinical outcomes is presented. The cyclotorsion from upright to supine position was measured using iris image comparison. The Group
[...] Read more.
A prospective comparative study assessing the importance of the intra-operative dynamic rotational tracking—especially in the treatment of astigmatisms in corneal refractive Excimer laser correction—concerning clinical outcomes is presented. The cyclotorsion from upright to supine position was measured using iris image comparison. The Group 1 of patients was additionally treated with cyclorotational control and Group 2 only with X-Y control. Significant differences were observed between the groups regarding the mean postoperative cylinder refraction (p < 0.05). The mean cyclotorsion can be calculated to 3.75° with a standard deviation of 3.1°. The total range of torsion was from −14.9° to +12.6°. Re-treatment rate was 2.2% in Group 1 and 8.2% in Group 2, which is highly significant (p < 0.01). The investigation confirms that the dynamic rotational tracking system used for LASIK results in highly predictable refraction quality with significantly less postoperative re-treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Open AccessArticle Biomechanical Modeling of Pterygium Radiation Surgery: A Retrospective Case Study
by , , , and
Sensors 2017, 17(6), 1200; doi:10.3390/s17061200
Received: 31 March 2017 / Revised: 17 May 2017 / Accepted: 19 May 2017 / Published: 24 May 2017
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Abstract
Pterygium is a vascularized, invasive transformation on the anterior corneal surface that can be treated by Strontium-/Yttrium90 beta irradiation. Finite element modeling was used to analyze the biomechanical effects governing the treatment, and to help understand clinically observed changes in corneal astigmatism. Results
[...] Read more.
Pterygium is a vascularized, invasive transformation on the anterior corneal surface that can be treated by Strontium-/Yttrium90 beta irradiation. Finite element modeling was used to analyze the biomechanical effects governing the treatment, and to help understand clinically observed changes in corneal astigmatism. Results suggested that irradiation-induced pulling forces on the anterior corneal surface can cause astigmatism, as well as central corneal flattening. Finite element modeling of corneal biomechanics closely predicted the postoperative corneal surface (astigmatism error −0.01D; central curvature error −0.16D), and can help in understanding beta irradiation treatment. Numerical simulations have the potential to preoperatively predict corneal shape and function changes, and help to improve corneal treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Open AccessArticle Image-Guided Laparoscopic Surgical Tool (IGLaST) Based on the Optical Frequency Domain Imaging (OFDI) to Prevent Bleeding
by , , , , , , and
Sensors 2017, 17(4), 919; doi:10.3390/s17040919
Received: 21 February 2017 / Revised: 17 April 2017 / Accepted: 19 April 2017 / Published: 21 April 2017
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Abstract
We present an image-guided laparoscopic surgical tool (IGLaST) to prevent bleeding. By applying optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) to a specially designed laparoscopic surgical tool, the inside of fatty tissue can be observed before a resection, and the presence and size of blood
[...] Read more.
We present an image-guided laparoscopic surgical tool (IGLaST) to prevent bleeding. By applying optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) to a specially designed laparoscopic surgical tool, the inside of fatty tissue can be observed before a resection, and the presence and size of blood vessels can be recognized. The optical sensing module on the IGLaST head has a diameter of less than 390 µm and is moved back and forth by a linear servo actuator in the IGLaST body. We proved the feasibility of IGLaST by in vivo imaging inside the fatty tissue of a porcine model. A blood vessel with a diameter of about 2.2 mm was clearly observed. Our proposed scheme can contribute to safe surgery without bleeding by monitoring vessels inside the tissue and can be further expanded to detect invisible nerves of the laparoscopic thyroid during prostate gland surgery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Open AccessArticle Performance Characterization of a Switchable Acoustic Resolution and Optical Resolution Photoacoustic Microscopy System
by and
Sensors 2017, 17(2), 357; doi:10.3390/s17020357
Received: 4 January 2017 / Revised: 27 January 2017 / Accepted: 9 February 2017 / Published: 12 February 2017
Cited by 1 | PDF Full-text (2238 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text
Abstract
Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is a scalable bioimaging modality; one can choose low acoustic resolution with deep penetration depth or high optical resolution with shallow imaging depth. High spatial resolution and deep penetration depth is rather difficult to achieve using a single system. Here
[...] Read more.
Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is a scalable bioimaging modality; one can choose low acoustic resolution with deep penetration depth or high optical resolution with shallow imaging depth. High spatial resolution and deep penetration depth is rather difficult to achieve using a single system. Here we report a switchable acoustic resolution and optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (AR-OR-PAM) system in a single imaging system capable of both high resolution and low resolution on the same sample. Lateral resolution of 4.2 µm (with ~1.4 mm imaging depth) and lateral resolution of 45 μm (with ~7.6 mm imaging depth) was successfully demonstrated using a switchable system. In vivo blood vasculature imaging was also performed for its biological application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Open AccessArticle Low-Coherence Interferometric Fiber-Optic Sensors with Potential Applications as Biosensors
by , , , , and
Sensors 2017, 17(2), 261; doi:10.3390/s17020261
Received: 22 December 2016 / Revised: 23 January 2017 / Accepted: 24 January 2017 / Published: 28 January 2017
Cited by 2 | PDF Full-text (3446 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text
Abstract
Fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot interferometers (FPI) can be applied as optical sensors, and excellent measurement sensitivity can be obtained by fine-tuning the interferometer design. In this work, we evaluate the ability of selected dielectric thin films to optimize the reflectivity of the Fabry-Pérot cavity. The
[...] Read more.
Fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot interferometers (FPI) can be applied as optical sensors, and excellent measurement sensitivity can be obtained by fine-tuning the interferometer design. In this work, we evaluate the ability of selected dielectric thin films to optimize the reflectivity of the Fabry-Pérot cavity. The spectral reflectance and transmittance of dielectric films made of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) with thicknesses from 30 to 220 nm have been evaluated numerically and compared. TiO2 films were found to be the most promising candidates for the tuning of FPI reflectivity. In order to verify and illustrate the results of modelling, TiO2 films with the thickness of 80 nm have been deposited on the tip of a single-mode optical fiber by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The thickness, the structure, and the chemical properties of the films have been determined. The ability of the selected TiO2 films to modify the reflectivity of the Fabry-Pérot cavity, to provide protection of the fibers from aggressive environments, and to create multi-cavity interferometric sensors in FPI has then been studied. The presented sensor exhibits an ability to measure refractive index in the range close to that of silica glass fiber, where sensors without reflective films do not work, as was demonstrated by the measurement of the refractive index of benzene. This opens up the prospects of applying the investigated sensor in biosensing, which we confirmed by measuring the refractive index of hemoglobin and glucose. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Open AccessArticle Evaluation of Laser-Assisted Trans-Nail Drug Delivery with Optical Coherence Tomography
by , , , , , and
Sensors 2016, 16(12), 2111; doi:10.3390/s16122111
Received: 19 October 2016 / Revised: 5 December 2016 / Accepted: 7 December 2016 / Published: 12 December 2016
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Abstract
The nail provides a functional protection to the fingertips and surrounding tissue from external injuries. The nail plate consists of three layers including dorsal, intermediate, and ventral layers. The dorsal layer consists of compact, hard keratins, limiting topical drug delivery through the nail.
[...] Read more.
The nail provides a functional protection to the fingertips and surrounding tissue from external injuries. The nail plate consists of three layers including dorsal, intermediate, and ventral layers. The dorsal layer consists of compact, hard keratins, limiting topical drug delivery through the nail. In this study, we investigate the application of fractional CO2 laser that produces arrays of microthermal ablation zones (MAZs) to facilitate drug delivery in the nails. We utilized optical coherence tomography (OCT) for real-time monitoring of the laser–skin tissue interaction, sparing the patient from an invasive surgical sampling procedure. The time-dependent OCT intensity variance was used to observe drug diffusion through an induced MAZ array. Subsequently, nails were treated with cream and liquid topical drugs to investigate the feasibility and diffusion efficacy of laser-assisted drug delivery. Our results show that fractional CO2 laser improves the effectiveness of topical drug delivery in the nail plate and that OCT could potentially be used for in vivo monitoring of the depth of laser penetration as well as real-time observations of drug delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Open AccessArticle Bio-Photonic Detection and Quantitative Evaluation Method for the Progression of Dental Caries Using Optical Frequency-Domain Imaging Method
by , , , and
Sensors 2016, 16(12), 2076; doi:10.3390/s16122076
Received: 28 September 2016 / Revised: 26 November 2016 / Accepted: 2 December 2016 / Published: 6 December 2016
Cited by 3 | PDF Full-text (7836 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text
Abstract
The initial detection of dental caries is an essential biomedical requirement to barricade the progression of caries and tooth demineralization. The objective of this study is to introduce an optical frequency-domain imaging technique based quantitative evaluation method to calculate the volume and thickness
[...] Read more.
The initial detection of dental caries is an essential biomedical requirement to barricade the progression of caries and tooth demineralization. The objective of this study is to introduce an optical frequency-domain imaging technique based quantitative evaluation method to calculate the volume and thickness of enamel residual, and a quantification method was developed to evaluate the total intensity fluctuation in depth direction owing to carious lesions, which can be favorable to identify the progression of dental caries in advance. The cross-sectional images of the ex vivo tooth samples were acquired using 1.3 μm spectral domain optical coherence tomography system (SD-OCT). Moreover, the advantages of the proposed method over the conventional dental inspection methods were compared to highlight the potential capability of OCT. As a consequence, the threshold parameters obtained through the developed method can be used as an efficient investigating technique for the initial detection of demineralization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Open AccessArticle Neuron Stimulation Device Integrated with Silicon Nanowire-Based Photodetection Circuit on a Flexible Substrate
by , , , and
Sensors 2016, 16(12), 2035; doi:10.3390/s16122035
Received: 7 September 2016 / Revised: 7 November 2016 / Accepted: 25 November 2016 / Published: 1 December 2016
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Abstract
This paper proposes a neural stimulation device integrated with a silicon nanowire (SiNW)-based photodetection circuit for the activation of neurons with light. The proposed device is comprised of a voltage divider and a current driver in which SiNWs are used as photodetector and
[...] Read more.
This paper proposes a neural stimulation device integrated with a silicon nanowire (SiNW)-based photodetection circuit for the activation of neurons with light. The proposed device is comprised of a voltage divider and a current driver in which SiNWs are used as photodetector and field-effect transistors; it has the functions of detecting light, generating a stimulation signal in proportion to the light intensity, and transmitting the signal to a micro electrode. To show the applicability of the proposed neural stimulation device as a high-resolution retinal prosthesis system, a high-density neural stimulation device with a unit cell size of 110 × 110 μ m and a resolution of 32 × 32 was fabricated on a flexible film with a thickness of approximately 50 μm. Its effectiveness as a retinal stimulation device was then evaluated using a unit cell in an in vitro animal experiment involving the retinal tissue of retinal Degeneration 1 (rd1) mice. Experiments wherein stimulation pulses were applied to the retinal tissues successfully demonstrate that the number of spikes in neural response signals increases in proportion to light intensity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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Review

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Open AccessReview Multispectral, Fluorescent and Photoplethysmographic Imaging for Remote Skin Assessment
by
Sensors 2017, 17(5), 1165; doi:10.3390/s17051165
Received: 12 April 2017 / Revised: 17 May 2017 / Accepted: 17 May 2017 / Published: 19 May 2017
PDF Full-text (11177 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text
Abstract
Optical tissue imaging has several advantages over the routine clinical imaging methods, including non-invasiveness (it does not change the structure of tissues), remote operation (it avoids infections) and the ability to quantify the tissue condition by means of specific image parameters. Dermatologists and
[...] Read more.
Optical tissue imaging has several advantages over the routine clinical imaging methods, including non-invasiveness (it does not change the structure of tissues), remote operation (it avoids infections) and the ability to quantify the tissue condition by means of specific image parameters. Dermatologists and other skin experts need compact (preferably pocket-size), self-sustaining and easy-to-use imaging devices. The operational principles and designs of ten portable in-vivo skin imaging prototypes developed at the Biophotonics Laboratory of Institute of Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy, University of Latvia during the recent five years are presented in this paper. Four groups of imaging devices are considered. Multi-spectral imagers offer possibilities for distant mapping of specific skin parameters, thus facilitating better diagnostics of skin malformations. Autofluorescence intensity and photobleaching rate imagers show a promising potential for skin tumor identification and margin delineation. Photoplethysmography video-imagers ensure remote detection of cutaneous blood pulsations and can provide real-time information on cardiovascular parameters and anesthesia efficiency. Multimodal skin imagers perform several of the abovementioned functions by taking a number of spectral and video images with the same image sensor. Design details of the developed prototypes and results of clinical tests illustrating their functionality are presented and discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Methods in Sensing and Imaging for Medical and Biological Applications)
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