SBIR-STTR Award

This project will develop a swept near-infrared light source that enables a portable hyperspectral tomographic functional optical imager. While such a device has many applications within endogenous NIR spectroscopy and imaging, or molecular imaging spectroscopy, we will focus on the application of the light source within an instrument designed for breast imaging. The long term goal is to develop a source that combines 5-10 individual chips to form a very compact (0.5 cm x 0.5cm x0.5cm) swept source with a range of 200-400nm, a scanning speed of 10-100msec and an output power of 10mW. This source would be incorporated into a handheld functional Diffuse Optical Spectroscopic Imaging device (not requiring exogenous contrast agents) to monitor and predict chemotherapy response in the treatment of breast cancer. A DOSI instrument developed at UC Irvine is currently undergoing validation on neoadjuvant patients in a multi-center clinical trial supported by the NIH. The swept NIR source would improve the performance and commercialization potential of a handheld DOSI instrument by allowing 3D subsurface imaging, improving the signal to noise ratio of the image by delivering a much higher photon intensity to the detector, and allowing the miniaturization of the device so that it is compatible with routine clinical use. The Phase I projet will demonstrate a swept optical source based upon an integrated VCSEL-MEMs technology. The output optical wavelength of the device will be centered at 850nm, and will demonstrate an output power of 1mW, and a tuning range of 35nm with a tuning rate of 10msec. During the Phase I project, this initial prototype device will be inserted into a DOSI handheld probe and will be used to measure the optical properties in a breast tissue simulating phantom. The phase II project will optimize the device performance, and extend it to the full range of wavelengths (multiple VCSEL- MEMs die that together span the entire desired wavelength range) and will be implemented in a handheld imager to demonstrate full imaging functionality.

Public Health Relevance:
This project will develop an optical light source that enables improved tomographic functional optical imaging for detecting, characterizing and therapeutic monitoring of breast cancer. Key applications include screening for breast cancer for younger women, as well as monitoring the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The optical source is expected to enable improved image signal to noise, contrast, and imaging depth.

Public Health Relevance Statement:
This project will develop an optical light source that enables improved tomographic functional optical imaging for detecting, characterizing and therapeutic monitoring of breast cancer. Key applications include screening for breast cancer for younger women, as well as monitoring the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The optical source is expected to enable improved image signal to noise, contrast, and imaging depth.

NIH Spending Category:
Bioengineering; Breast Cancer; Cancer; Diagnostic Radiology

Project Terms:
absorption; Address; Affect; American College of Radiology Imaging Network; Attention; Automobile Driving; Back; base; Breast; Breast Cancer Detection; Breast Cancer Treatment; Calibration; Cancer Patient; Cessation of life; Characteristics; chemotherapy; Clinical; Clinical Research; commercialization; Contrast Media; cost; Coupled; design; Detection; detector; Devices; Diffuse; Effectiveness; FarGo; Feedback; Fluorescence; Frequencies (time pattern); Functional Imaging; Goals; Image; Imaging Device; improved; Individual; instrument; Lasers; Light; Lighting; malignant breast neoplasm; Malignant Neoplasms; Mammary Gland Parenchyma; Mammographic Density; Measurement; Measures; meetings; Miniaturization; molecular imaging; Monitor; Multi-Institutional Clinical Trial; Near-Infrared Spectroscopy; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Noise; novel; oncology; optic imaging; Optical Coherence Tomography; optical fiber; Optics; Output; Patients; Performance; Phase; Photons; pre-clinical; preclinical study; Property; prototype; Research; Research Personnel; response; Scanning; Signal Transduction; Simulate; solid state; Source; spectroscopic imaging; Spectrum Analysis; Speed (motion); Standardization; Structure; Surface; Technology; Testing; Therapeutic; therapeutic effectiveness; tissue phantom; Tissues; Translations; tumor; United States National Institutes of Health; Validation; Vision; Woman; young woman

This project will develop swept-wavelength laser light sources at several frequencies in the near infrared (NIR). While applicable to numerous applications, the goal is to use these laser sources as an enabling technology for Diffuse Optical Spectroscopic Imaging (DOSI), a technique which allows noninvasive characterization of human tissue and can monitor and predict chemotherapy response in the treatment of breast cancer. During this Phase II project, the sources will be adapted to three specific wavelength ranges that are useful in detecting molecular states of the three most absorbent NIR tissue absorbers: hemoglobin (785-820 nm), lipid (910-950 nm), and water (950-1000 nm). The three light sources will be integrated into a miniature 3 x 3mm NIR laser module for use in a handheld imaging system. This is an enabling technology that will greatly expand technical capability and clinical applicability of optical imaging, as well as the scientific knowledge that will result fro its incorporation into research studies. The technology for the swept optical sources is based on a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) and a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) that allows for wide tunability. The devices require very low power to operate and the fabrication platform is robust, low cost, and adaptable to many applications. Phase I of this project has already demonstrated a prototype swept laser source capable of 1mW output power and 15nm tuning range. Phase II will improve upon these results to realize 5mW optical power and continuous tunability over 35-50 nm, which are practical requirements for a hand-held DOSI system. The swept NIR source will improve the performance and commercialization potential of a DOSI instrument by allowing 3D subsurface imaging, improving the signal to noise ratio of the image by delivering a much higher photon intensity to the detector, and allowing the miniaturization of the device so that it is compatible with routine clinical use. Furthermore, the unique spectral and performance characteristics of this laser open up a wide range of biomedical and other applications that can benefit from a miniaturized swept-source.

Public Health Relevance Statement:


Public Health Relevance:
This project will develop several new optical light sources that enable improved functional optical imaging of human tissue, specifically for tissue hemoglobin, fat, and water concentration. The new light sources will be integrated into a portable imaging system for breast cancer. Key applications include differential diagnosis of breast cancer, as well as monitoring and predicting the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

Project Terms:
absorption; American College of Radiology Imaging Network; base; Benchmarking; Binding; Biophotonics; breast cancer diagnosis; Breast Cancer Treatment; breast imaging; breast malignancies; cancer imaging; cancer therapy; Characteristics; chemotherapy; chromophore; Clinical; clinical application; commercialization; cost; Data; deoxyhemoglobin; design; Detection; detector; Devices; Differential Diagnosis; Diffuse; Effectiveness; Fatty acid glycerol esters; FDA approved; Fluorescence Spectroscopy; Frequencies; Functional Imaging; Goals; Hand; hemodynamics; Hemoglobin; human study; human tissue; Image; Imaging Device; imaging probe; imaging system; Imaging Techniques; improved; in vivo; instrument; Knowledge; Laboratories; Lasers; Light; Lipids; Location; malignant breast neoplasm; Mammary Gland Parenchyma; Manuals; Maps; Measurement; Measures; Mechanics; meetings; Metabolism; Miniaturization; miniaturize; Molecular; Monitor; Multi-Institutional Clinical Trial; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Noise; novel; Optical Coherence Tomography; optical imaging; Optics; Output; Oxyhemoglobin; Performance; Phase; Photons; Physiologic pulse; pre-clinical; predicting response; prevent; Process; prototype; public health relevance; research study; Resolution; response; Scanning; sensor; Signal Transduction; Source; spectroscopic imaging; Spectrum Analysis; Speed; Structure; success; Surface; System; Techniques; Technology; Testing; Time; time use; Tissue imaging; Tissues; Translations; tumor; United States National Institutes of Health; Water