Partner: Rebecca Re

Politecnico di Milano (IT)

Recent publications
1.Wabnitz H., Jelzow A., Mazurenka M., Steinkellner O., Macdonald R., Milej D., Żołek N., Kacprzak M., Sawosz P., Maniewski R., Liebert A., Magazov S., Hebden J., Martelli F., Di Ninni P., Zaccanti G., Torricelli A., Contini D., Re R., Zucchelli L., Spinelli L., Cubeddu R., Pifferi A., Performance assessment of timedomain optical brain imagers, part 2: nEUROPt protocol, JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS, ISSN: 1083-3668, DOI: 10.1117/1.JBO.19.8.086012, Vol.19, No.8, pp.086012-1-12, 2014
Abstract:

The nEUROPt protocol is one of two new protocols developed within the European project nEUROPt to characterize the performances of time-domain systems for optical imaging of the brain. It was applied in joint measurement campaigns to compare the various instruments and to assess the impact of technical improvements. This protocol addresses the characteristic of optical brain imaging to detect, localize, and quantify absorption changes in the brain. It was implemented with two types of inhomogeneous liquid phantoms based on Intralipid and India ink with well-defined optical properties. First, small black inclusions were used to mimic localized changes of the absorption coefficient. The position of the inclusions was varied in depth and lateral direction to investigate contrast and spatial resolution. Second, two-layered liquid phantoms with variable absorption coefficients were employed to study the quantification of layer-wide changes and, in particular, to determine depth selectivity, i.e., the ratio of sensitivities for deep and superficial absorption changes. We introduce the tests of the nEUROPt protocol and present examples of results obtained with different instruments and methods of data analysis. This protocol could be a useful step toward performance tests for future standards in diffuse optical imaging.

Affiliations:
Wabnitz H.-Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (DE)
Jelzow A.-Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (DE)
Mazurenka M.-Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (DE)
Steinkellner O.-Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (DE)
Macdonald R.-Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (DE)
Milej D.-Nałęcz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)
Żołek N.-other affiliation
Kacprzak M.-Nałęcz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)
Sawosz P.-Nałęcz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)
Maniewski R.-other affiliation
Liebert A.-Nałęcz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)
Magazov S.-University College London (GB)
Hebden J.-University College London (GB)
Martelli F.-University of Florence (IT)
Di Ninni P.-University of Florence (IT)
Zaccanti G.-University of Florence (IT)
Torricelli A.-Politecnico di Milano (IT)
Contini D.-Politecnico di Milano (IT)
Re R.-Politecnico di Milano (IT)
Zucchelli L.-Politecnico di Milano (IT)
Spinelli L.-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche–Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IT)
Cubeddu R.-Politecnico di Milano (IT)
Pifferi A.-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche–Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IT)