Laser-speckle contrast imaging system and method
US11974812B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 21, 2022 |
| Grant date | May 7, 2024 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 21, 2042 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B3/14
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Laser-Speckle Contrast imaging apparatus configured to assess and quantify motion associated with an object and, in a specific case of an eye—retinal vascular anatomy and hemodynamics and generate substantially contrast-free maps of retinal blood flow over a wide field-of-view at up to 590 fps and under short exposure durations (>50 μs), is applicable for diagnosis, study, and management of neurodegenerative conditions (i.e. mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease) and systemic cardiovascular diseases (i.e. athero- and arteriosclerosis, coronary artery occlusion, and hypertension). The apparatus employs a) a set of apertures substantially blocking light, delivered from a source of light to an illumination arm of the apparatus, from impinging onto an axial point of the front surface of the lens of the illumination arm, and b) polarization gating between the illumination and light-collecting arms of the apparatus. In one implementation, the apparatus is configured to allow for irradiation of the object with an optical field a degree of coherence and/or spectral content of which are varied delivered through the same optical train including the set of apertures.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.