Combined Confocal Microscopy-Polarization Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography Approach for Burn Assessment

Physical Sciences, Inc. (PSI), in collaboration with Lucid, Inc. proposes to investigate combined reflectance confocal microscopy-polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (RCM-PSOCT) for in vivo diagnosis of skin burns. While RCM provides en face images with nuclear-level resolution in superficial skin, to depths of about 200 m, OCT provides cross-sectional images with structural-level resolution in the deeper skin layers, to depths of at least 1.5 mm. Furthermore, PSOCT measures skin birefringence, and thus accurately differentiates between the dermal and epidermal skin layers. Therefore, the complementary capabilities of these two optical technologies may offer a clinically comprehensive set of parameters for more reliable diagnosis of burn lesions. In Phase I we propose to develop a bench-top instrument that will combine RCM and PSOCT within the same optical layout. Preliminary testing of this instrument will be performed on tissue-like phantoms and on the normal skin of several investigator-volunteers. Based on Phase I conclusions, this instrument will be improved, and a clinical prototype will be built and tested in a clinical setting on a large number of normal and skin burn patients at Shriners Hospital, Boston during the Phase II study.