![]() ![]() The device also uses a larger detector at the end of the light’s journey to make misalignments less likely. Because the spectrometer light path is circular, any expansions or contractions due to temperature changes occur symmetrically, balancing themselves out to keep the optical elements aligned. Wax’s design, however, takes the light on a circular path within a housing made mostly from 3D-printed plastic. While this setup provides a high degree of accuracy, slight mechanical shifts caused by bumps or even temperature changes can create misalignments. Traditional spectrometers are made mostly of precisely cut metal components and direct light through a series of lenses, mirrors and diffraction slits shaped like a W. The primary technology enabling the smaller, less expensive OCT device is a new type of spectrometer designed by Wax and his former graduate student Sanghoon Kim. To time the light waves bouncing back from the tissue being scanned, OCT devices use a spectrometer to determine how much their phase has shifted compared to identical light waves that have travelled the same distance but have not interacted with tissue. But because light is so much faster than sound, measuring time is more difficult. OCT is the optical analogue of ultrasound, which works by sending sound waves into tissues and measuring how long they take to come back. “Our goal is to make OCT drastically less expensive so more clinics can afford the devices, especially in global health settings.” “Once you have lost vision, it’s very difficult to get it back, so the key to preventing blindness is early detection,” said Adam Wax, professor of biomedical engineering at Duke. However, OCT is rarely included as part of a standard screening exam since machines can cost more than $100,000-meaning that usually only larger eye centers have them. In use since the 1990s, OCT imaging has become the standard of care for the diagnosis of many retinal diseases including macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, as well as for glaucoma. The results appear online on June 28 in Translational Vision Science & Technology, an ARVO journal. In its first clinical trial, the new OCT scanner produced images of 120 retinas that were 95 percent as sharp as those taken by current commercial systems, which was sufficient for accurate clinical diagnosis. Thanks to a redesigned, 3D-printed spectrometer, the scanner is 15 times lighter and smaller than current commercial systems and is made from parts costing less than a tenth the retail price of commercial systems-all without sacrificing imaging quality. ![]() PhD Plus Professional Development Programīiomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a low-cost, portable optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanner that promises to bring the vision-saving technology to underserved regions throughout the United States and abroad.Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science.Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Community.In short, no comprehensive office should be without an OCT, old or new.Duke Pratt School of Engineering Apply Menu The newer models offer high-definition 3D images of the macular area which are even more intuitive and more reproducible than its counterparts. Zeiss Stratus) provide quick 2D images of the macula which are easy enough to understand to have a discussion with your patient. The information it provides is unique and valuable. As it is becoming an integral part of most offices, old or new does not matter. The question of “Old vs New” has several answers. It is an easy way for retina specialists to follow treatment for wet ARMD or other macular diseases. OCT is an easy way for a cataract surgeon to determine why a patient does not see well after cataract surgery. It offers diagnostic capabilities to the general eye practice and specialists, too. The development of OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) has really revolutionized patient care for eye doctors. ![]()
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