| dc.description.abstract | Diagnosis of atherosclerosis requires morphological and biochemical information in vivo and one single imaging system cannot provide comprehensive details. Therefore, researchers have been interested in combining two different imaging systems to diagnose atherosclerosis simultaneously with fiber endoscope. This dissertation focuses on the development of dual-modality ball lens-based fiber endoscope for Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) for intravascular atherosclerosis diagnosis.
We proposed a combined simulation, fabrication, and measurement method for ball lens-based endoscope based on double clad fiber (DCF) for OCT and FLIM. Simulation is important to minimize manufacturing time by establishing a preferred shape for the partial ellipsoid lens before optimizing the manufacturing process. It also allows us, in conjunction with optical performance characterization techniques, to predict the performance of any given endoscope in the intravascular environment. Different fiber endoscopes based on different fiber were designed, optimized and fabricated for OCT system, Time-Domain FLIM system, Frequency-Domain FLIM system, and dual-modality OCT/FLIM system. Each type endoscope optical performance, mechanical performance and application to atherosclerosis was confirmed with a series of experiments.
The dual-modality OCT/FLIM system compatible with the endoscope was designed and developed. The operating wavelength for OCT and FLIM were 1310nm and 375nm, respectively. The combined system was used to image atherosclerosis through a dual-modality ball lens-based endoscope. The morphological and biochemical information of the atherosclerosis images were collected and studied. The whole system also was minimized inside the moveable cart for convenient usage. | en |
