Portable Near Infrared Detection of Blast Lung Injury

Rapid noninvasive detection of blast lung injury is of great interest for forward military medical care, homeland defense, and civilian trauma. Near Infrared and Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy (NIRS, DOS) are novel techniques that can penetrate non-invasively through the thorax/lungs, detect air/blood beneath the surface, and measure the lung function. The overall objective of this project is to develop, test, and validate NIRS/DOS instrument for blast lung injury. In Phase I we have developed a prototype device and tested it on animal models. Advanced optical simulations have been conducted to scale the device to human conditions (deeper penetration distance), for device design, and for optimization of source/detector geometry. Phase II work will concentrate on device maturation and on development of ultrasonically enhanced NIRS/DOS detection fur human scale optical penetration depths. Our preliminary results also indicate that a subsecond time resolution device can be fabricated that will enable time-gated respiration cycle resolved imaging and detection of subpleural pneumo/hemothorax. The prototype instrument will be tested, optimized, and validated on a custom designed in vitro thorax/lung phantom. It will be experimentally tested to determine usability and accuracy on patho-physiological condition animal models, and on human clinical data. CFDRC-UCI team will establish plans for device miniaturization and portability in rugged military and ambulatory applications.