Open AccessRapid imaging of tympanic membrane vibrations in humans
Author(s) -
Matan Hamra,
Shadi Shinnawi,
Mauricio Cohen Vaizer,
Dvir Yelin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
biomedical optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.362
H-Index - 86
ISSN - 2156-7085
DOI - 10.1364/boe.402097
Subject(s) - preclinical imaging , optoacoustic imaging , functional imaging , biomedical engineering , middle ear , phase imaging , medical imaging , optics , computer science , microscopy , anatomy , physics , artificial intelligence , medicine , in vivo , neuroscience , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Functional imaging of the human ear is an extremely challenging task because of its minute anatomic structures and nanometer-scale motion in response to sound. Here, we demonstrate noninvasive in vivo functional imaging of the human tympanic membrane under various acoustic excitations, and identify unique vibration patterns that vary between human subjects. By combining spectrally encoded imaging with phase-sensitive spectral-domain interferometry, our system attains high-resolution functional imaging of the two-dimensional membrane surface, within a fraction of a second, through a handheld imaging probe. The detailed physiological data acquired by the system would allow measuring a wide range of clinically relevant parameters for patient diagnosis, and provide a powerful new tool for studying middle and inner ear physiology.