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Publication Number
US-11826159-B2
Publication Date
2023-11-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods capture light reflected back from a patient's fundus and compares the resulting images to prior images, to determine if the patient is experiencing intraocular inflammation or atrophy.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a home-use, ruggedized headset system and associated software for monitoring retinal pathology linked to brain inflammation/atrophy by capturing and comparing fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images over time. The system acquires FAF and OCT images of a patient’s eye and processes the images to characterize retinal pathology associated with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The disclosed approach supports clinician and patient alerts and predictions based on the longitudinal imaging results.
The core imaging architecture combines a broadband LED as an FAF light source and a tunable laser as an OCT light source, and routes light through optical components including an excitation filter, a 2×1 wavelength division multiplexer coupler, single-mode fiber, and a splitter. Light is directed to a reference arm and a headset sample arm, enabling FAF and OCT imaging while using fiber-based combining and splitting for sequential imaging. In an alternate fluorescence/OCT system configuration, separate FAF and OCT light sources are combined via a 2×1 wavelength division multiplexer and routed through a splitter and a double-cladding fiber coupler to a detector for FAF imaging and a sample arm with a headset for scanning.
The system includes signal and image processing that performs pre-processing such as motion detection and correction, denoising, and luminance normalization, followed by post-processing that performs FAF segmentation and hyper/hypofluorescence quantification and OCT layer segmentation and thickness change analysis. The method correlates regions of interest from combined FAF and OCT to infer layer-specific inflammation/atrophy and to generate clinician/patient alerts and predictions. The disclosed software also supports automated image acquisition using eye tracking and fixation criteria and optionally supports virtual-reality engagement.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three main inventive directions: (i) a fiber-based system for sequential FAF and OCT acquisition using a broadband LED and a tunable laser combined by a 2×1 wavelength division multiplexer into a single-mode fiber and split into reference and headset sample arms; (ii) a corresponding process of acquiring FAF and OCT using filtering and double-cladding fiber coupler through-port splitting/transmitting to a reference arm and headset sample arm; and (iii) a fluorescence and OCT image acquisition system using separate FAF and OCT light sources combined via a 2×1 wavelength division multiplexer and routed through a splitter and double-cladding fiber coupler to a detector and a headset sample arm for scanning. Across these independent claims, multiple hardware and routing features are recited, including excitation filtering, combining/splitting, and headset-based eye scanning.
Sequential FAF and OCT system using broadband LED and tunable laser combined by a 2×1 wavelength division multiplexer
A system comprising a broadband LED as an FAF light source; a tunable laser as an OCT light source; a 2×1 wavelength division multiplexer coupler; an excitation filter in a first lightpath for visible light; a single-mode fiber receiving combined light; a second lightpath communicating near infrared light from the tunable laser to the coupler such that the coupler combines light into the single-mode fiber for sequential FAF and OCT imaging; a splitter; a reference arm in a third lightpath; and a headset sample arm in a fourth lightpath.
FAF and OCT acquisition process with lipofuscin excitation filtering and through-port splitting using a double-cladding fiber coupler
A process comprising generating light with a broadband LED and tunable laser, wherein visible light from the broadband LED first travels through a lipofuscin excitation filter; combining the lipofuscin-excitation-filtered visible light with near infrared light from the tunable laser; and splitting and transmitting the combined light to a reference arm and a headset sample arm positioned in front of a patient’s eye, wherein the splitting and transmitting is performed via a through-port of a double-cladding fiber coupler.
Fluorescence and OCT system with 2×1 wavelength division multiplexer and double-cladding fiber coupler routed to detector and headset sample arm
A system comprising a FAF light source and an OCT light source; a 2×1 wavelength division multiplexer combining light from the FAF light source and light from the OCT light source and directing it to a splitter; the splitter receiving light and directing to a reference arm and a double-cladding fiber coupler; wherein the double-cladding fiber coupler has a first port connected to the splitter, a second port connected to a sample arm, and a third port connected to a detector for FAF imaging; and wherein the sample arm comprises a headset enabling light scanning of a patient’s eye for both FAF and OCT imaging.
The independent claims collectively focus on combining FAF and OCT illumination using a 2×1 wavelength division multiplexer, routing light through fiber-based components in sequential and coupler-based configurations, and using reference and headset sample arms to acquire fluorescence/FAF and OCT images for a patient’s eye.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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