EAGER: Ultra Low Light Level Imaging for Ophthalmological Applications

EAGER：用于眼科应用的超低光级成像

• 批准号: 2137320
• 负责人: Armand Tanguay,Jr.
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: University of Southern California
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2137320&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Ultra; Low; Light; Level

The current use of chemical mydriasis (chemical dilation of the pupil) in eye/ophthalmological examinations requires significant time for both pupil dilation and recovery following pupil dilation, often subjecting the patient's eye to high levels of illumination during both the examination and recovery. The time requirement alone limits the availability and frequency of full ophthalmological examinations worldwide, particularly in regions without access to ophthalmological clinics. The goal of this research program is to explore whether it is possible to perform eye examinations under low enough light conditions to allow for natural dilation of the pupil without the need for chemical dilation. The research program will explore the development of ultra low light level imaging systems that can provide high quality images of the inner regions of the eye, including the retina, in a clinic with the lights dimmed. Reducing the time required for each ophthalmological examination would increase their availability and therefore enable both earlier diagnoses and treatment of diseases worldwide. Other applications of the ultra low light level imaging system developed could allow for eye surgeries to proceed with much lower intensity illumination incident on the retina, thereby minimizing post-surgical complications and enhancing chronic toleration, and be implemented in other optical imaging applications, e.g., intracellular imaging, that produce very low intensity scattering. The goal of this research program is to investigate the possibility of performing ophthalmological examinations under low light level conditions that would allow for natural pupil dilation without the need for chemical mydriasis. To this end, the research program will be focused on establishing the fundamental and technological limitations that impact the development of ultra low light level imaging systems for ophthalmological examinations and analyzing advanced techniques to circumvent current technological limits. Ultra low light level imaging devices implemented in the form of a direct ophthalmoscope, a wide field direct ophthalmoscope, and a slit lamp would enable ophthalmological examinations to be performed with only natural dilation of the pupil. This research program will involve three key aspects: (1) establishment of the fundamental limitations that affect ultra low light level ophthalmological examinations, starting at the quantum level as it impacts the signal to noise ratio achievable at low photon counts per pixel per frame, and including the wavelength dependence of the reflectivity of both normal and abnormal regions of the anterior and posterior segments, especially including the retina, (2) design and assessment of technological implementations of ultra low light level imaging systems, including both theoretical analysis and experimental prototypes, with the goal of establishing current technological limitations that impact performance, and (3) investigation of novel technical approaches that can advance the state of the art of ultra low light level imaging systems toward the boundaries established by fundamental limitations, thereby enabling the development of next generation ophthalmological devices and procedures. Successful development of ultra low light level imaging systems will in turn enable a significant increase in the availability and frequency of full ophthalmological examinations under field conditions, thereby providing earlier detection and treatment of adverse eye conditions to a greatly expanded population.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

目前在眼/眼科检查中使用化学序列（学生的化学扩张）需要大量时间来使学生扩张和瞳孔扩张后恢复，这通常会使患者的眼睛在检查和恢复过程中都高水平照明。 单独的时间要求限制了全球全面眼科检查的可用性和频率，尤其是在无法进入眼科诊所的地区。该研究计划的目的是探索是否有可能在足够低的光条件下进行眼科检查，以便无需进行化学扩张而无需进行瞳孔扩张。 该研究计划将探讨超低光级成像系统的发展，这些系统可以在带有灯光昏暗的诊所中提供包括视网膜在内的眼睛内部区域的高质量图像。 减少每次眼科检查所需的时间将增加其可用性，从而使全球疾病的早期诊断和治疗。 超低光级成像系统的其他应用可能会使眼科手术在视网膜上进行较低的强度照明，从而最大程度地减少手术后并发症并增强慢性耐受性，并在其他光学成像应用中实现，例如，例如细胞内成像，产生非常低强度的散射。 该研究计划的目的是研究在低光水平条件下进行眼科检查的可能性，这将允许自然的学生扩张而无需化学肌动症。 为此，该研究计划将集中于建立影响眼科检查超低光级成像系统开发的基本和技术局限性，并分析先进的技术以规避当前技术限制。 以直接眼镜，广泛的直接眼镜和缝隙灯的形式实施的超低光级成像设备将使仅在学生的天然扩张中进行眼科检查。 该研究计划将涉及三个关键方面：（1）建立影响超低光水平眼科检查的基本限制，从量子水平开始，因为它会影响信号与噪声比，在每个像素每个框架的较低光子计数中都可以达到噪声比，以及包括正常和异常区域的反射率以及尤其是均匀的范围和异常的依赖，并包括尤其是序列的差异。评估超低光水平成像系统的技术实施，包括理论分析和实验原型，目的是建立影响性能的当前技术限制，以及（3）对可以通过基础限制建立的界限的新型技术方法，这些技术可以推动超低光级成像系统的界限，从而启用了下一代的发展。 超低光水平成像系统的成功开发将反过来又能够在田间条件下进行全面眼科检查的可用性和频率显着提高，从而为大大扩展的人口提供了早期的检测和治疗，从而反映了NSF的立法任务，并以基金会的智力效果和广泛的范围进行评估，这反映了NSF的立法任务，并且值得通过评估来进行评估。