Open AccessDifferentiation of morphotic elements in human blood using optical coherence tomography and a microfluidic setup
Author(s) -
Paweł Ossowski,
Anna Raiter-Smiljanic,
Anna Szkulmowska,
Danuta Bukowska,
Małgorzata Wiese,
Ladislav Derzsi,
Andrzej Eljaszewicz,
Piotr Garstecki,
Maciej Wojtkowski
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.23.027724
Subject(s) - optical coherence tomography , optics , microfluidics , materials science , polydimethylsiloxane , scattering , light scattering , phase modulation , signal (programming language) , modulation (music) , coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , phase (matter) , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , physics , acoustics , computer science , phase noise , quantum mechanics , programming language
We demonstrate a novel optical method for the detection and differentiation between erythrocytes and leukocytes that uses amplitude and phase information provided by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Biological cells can introduce significant phase modulation with substantial scattering anisotropy and dominant forward-scattered light. Such physical properties may favor the use of a trans-illumination imaging technique. However, an epi-illumination mode may be more practical and robust in many applications. This study describes a new way of measuring the phase modulation introduced by flowing microobjects. The novel part of this invention is that it uses the backscattered signal from the substrate located below the flowing/moving objects. The identification of cells is based on phase-sensitive OCT signals. To differentiate single cells, a custom-designed microfluidic device with a highly scattering substrate is introduced. The microchannels are molded in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mixed with titanium dioxide (TiO2) to ensure high scattering properties. The statistical parameters of the measured signal depend on the cells' features, such as their size, shape, and internal structure.