The University of Texas System

Volcano Corporation

Digant P Dave

Thomas E Milner

Taner Akkin

H Grady Rylander, Iii

Sergey Telenkov

Optical methods, devices, and systems for noninvasively detecting transient surface displacements in a neuron are disclosed. Methods, devices, and systems provided may employ a phase-sensitive optical low coherence reflectometer. In addition, surface displacements due to action potential propagation in neural tissues may be detected in some embodiments using back-reflected light. According to some embodiments, exogenous chemicals or reflect ion coatings are not required. Transient neural surface displacement of less then 1 nm in amplitude and 1 ms in duration may be detected and may be generally coincident with action potential arrival to the optical measurement site. The systems and methods may be used for noninvasive detection of various neuropathies such as retinal neuropathies. They may also be useful in detecting the effects of various pharmacological agents.

Measurement of neural functionality using phase sensitive optical coherence reflectometry

Optical methods, devices, and systems for non-invasively detecting transient surface displacements in a neuron are disclosed. Methods, devices, and systems provided may employ a phase-sensitive optical low coherence reflectometer. In addition, surface displacements due to action potential propagation in neural tissues may be detected in some embodiments using back-reflected light. According to some embodiments, exogenous chemicals or reflection coatings are not required. Transient neural surface displacement of less than 1 nm in amplitude and 1 ms in duration may be detected and may be generally coincident with action potential arrival to the optical measurement site. The systems and methods may be used for noninvasive detection of various neuropathies such as retinal neuropathies. They may also be useful in detecting the effects of various pharmacological agents.

Measurement of neural functionality using phase sensitive optical reflectometry

Generally, and in one form of the present invention, is a polarization-maintaining fiber-based polarization sensitive optical low coherence reflectometer for depth resolved birefringence measurement. With the present invention, linear birefringence of a sample may be measured from data recorded in a single A-Scan. In addition, the present invention provides for the simultaneous measurement of retardation and orientation of birefringent axes, wherein measured retardation is insensitive to sample rotation in the plane perpendicular to ranging.

Fiber-based optical low coherence tomography

One form of the present invention is a dual channel optical reflectometer composed of a birefringent path coupler and an optical source path that is optically connected to the path coupler. After entering the path coupler, light is split into birefringent reference and sample paths. The reference path is optically aligned with a first collimating lens, and the collimating lens is directed into a scanning delay line. There is also a birefringent optical sample path that is also optically connected to the path coupler. The sample path is optically aligned with a polarization channel separator/combiner and a lens, to focus and direct optical beams into the turbid sample. Light backscattered from the turbid sample is collected by the second lens and orthogonal polarization channels are reunited by the polarization channel combiner. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the amplifier, and a computer is connected to the analog-to-digital converter to analyze the output.

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Arlington, TX, United States of America

Digant P Dave