Laser Doppler imaging

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Laser Doppler imaging
LaserDopplerHolographyRetinaONH.gif
Example of flow-contrast microangiography in the optic disc region of the human retina, rendered computationally from Doppler-sensitive optical fluctuations (camera-based implementation; see § Digital holography / laser Doppler holography).
Synonyms Laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI); Laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDI)
PurposeMap microvascular perfusion (blood-flow–related signal) non-invasively
Test of Microcirculation / perfusion
Based on Laser Doppler flowmetry, dynamic light scattering, coherent speckle fluctuation analysis; (in some implementations) digital holography

Laser Doppler imaging (LDI), also called laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI), is a non-contact optical technique for mapping signals related to microvascular blood perfusion in tissue. It illuminates tissue with coherent laser light and analyzes temporal fluctuations in the backscattered light caused by scattering from moving red blood cells; these fluctuations contain Doppler-broadened frequency components. LDI typically reports a perfusion-related index (often in arbitrary perfusion units) proportional to the amount of moving blood cells and their velocities within the sampled volume, rather than a direct absolute volumetric flow rate. [1] [2]

Contents

History

Coherent-light scattering was introduced as a noninvasive way to evaluate microcirculation in the mid-1970s by M. D. Stern. [3] Subsequent developments transitioned from single-point laser Doppler flowmetry to imaging approaches that scan a laser beam across tissue or use camera-based full-field acquisition to obtain spatial perfusion maps. [2] [1] [4]

Principle

In LDI, coherent laser light enters tissue and undergoes multiple scattering. Light scattered by moving red blood cells acquires Doppler frequency shifts; when combined with light scattered by static structures, the detected optical field exhibits time-varying interference (speckle fluctuations) whose spectrum broadens with blood-cell motion. [2] A detector (photodiode in scanning systems, or a camera in full-field systems) measures these fluctuations, and signal processing yields a perfusion-related index.

Because the measured signal depends on scattering geometry, tissue optical properties, and the distribution of velocities and blood-cell concentrations within the sampling volume, LDI outputs are most commonly treated as relative indices and are most reliable for within-subject or standardized protocol comparisons. [2]

Instrumentation

Scanning-beam laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI)

In classic LDPI, a low-power laser beam is scanned across a region (e.g., with galvanometer mirrors). For each position, a photodetector captures backscattered light and the temporal signal is analyzed to estimate a perfusion index. Scanning approaches trade acquisition time for large fields of view and straightforward detection hardware. [1] [2]

Full-field / camera-based LDI

In full-field implementations, a camera records intensity fluctuations over many pixels simultaneously, enabling faster acquisition and real-time visualization in some systems. Depending on the region size, exposure time, and processing scheme, full-field LDI can operate at video-rate update speeds and is often used for dynamic perfusion mapping in skin and other accessible tissues. [4]

Signal processing and quantitative interpretation

Processing typically estimates a perfusion-related quantity from the power spectrum (or related statistics) of the detected fluctuations. Practical steps often include:

Because the relationship between Doppler spectra and absolute flow is model-dependent and tissue-specific, many applications interpret LDI as a calibrated index rather than a direct measure of volumetric blood flow.

Clinical and research applications

LDI has been applied across multiple disciplines where microcirculatory function is clinically relevant.

Burn depth assessment and wound care

LDI/LDPI has been widely investigated for burn depth assessment and prediction of healing, leveraging the fact that superficial and deep burns exhibit different perfusion patterns. Reviews and clinical studies describe its value as a noninvasive adjunct for clinical decision-making while emphasizing methodological and implementation considerations. [5] [6] [7]

Rheumatology and peripheral vascular disorders

In Raynaud’s phenomenon and systemic sclerosis, LDI has been used to quantify microvascular flow and assess responses to provocation or therapy, offering an imaging alternative to single-point laser Doppler measurements. [8]

Comparison with laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI)

LDI/LDPI is often compared with laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), another coherent-light method for perfusion mapping. Comparative studies report differences in acquisition speed, spatial/temporal resolution, and practical trade-offs, and emphasize that the techniques have distinct signal formation and calibration characteristics. [9] [10]

Digital holography / laser Doppler holography

Laser Doppler holography (LDH) is a camera-based, full-field implementation of laser Doppler imaging that uses digital holography (interferometric recording followed by numerical wave propagation and reconstruction) to compute Doppler-sensitive perfusion and flow-contrast maps. In LDH, an interferogram is recorded on a high-speed camera, digitally propagated to reconstruct the complex optical field, and temporally demodulated to extract Doppler-sensitive fluctuations caused by moving blood cells. [11]

Use in ophthalmology

Blood-flow pulse wave in the central retinal artery (red) and vein (blue), measured by Laser Doppler holography in the eye fundus of a healthy volunteer. VIM LDH.jpg
Blood-flow pulse wave in the central retinal artery (red) and vein (blue), measured by Laser Doppler holography in the eye fundus of a healthy volunteer.

The eye offers a unique opportunity for non-invasive assessment of microvascular function because the retina, optic nerve head and (to a lesser extent) the choroid can be interrogated optically through largely transparent media. In ophthalmic implementations, laser Doppler holography (LDH) is a full-field, camera-based interferometric approach related to laser Doppler imaging in which the complex optical field backscattered by the fundus is measured by digital holography (e.g. with interferometric mixing against a reference beam). After numerical reconstruction of the complex field (amplitude and phase), temporal fluctuations of the reconstructed signal are analyzed (typically in the frequency domain) to form power-Doppler flow-contrast images and vessel-resolved time series that are related to blood-flow dynamics in retinal and choroidal vasculature. [12]

LDH has been reported to measure blood-flow–related signals in the retina and to generate microangiography-like maps of flow contrast over the posterior pole, including the peripapillary region and major retinal vessels. [13] In addition to static flow-contrast imaging, LDH supports beat-resolved analysis: waveform-processing approaches have been used to isolate pulsatile components, derive indices of flow pulsatility and timing, and differentiate arteries and veins based on characteristic systole–diastole variations. [14] Beat-resolved hemodynamic indices are of broader interest in ophthalmology because abnormal retinal vascular pulsatility and resistance-related metrics have been associated with ocular and systemic vascular changes in other modalities (e.g. increased pulsatility in age-related macular degeneration [15] and altered resistive index in diabetic retinopathy. [16]

The choroid is a highly vascularized tissue supplying the retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors, but investigating its flow and anatomy remains challenging with many non-invasive methods. LDH has been reported to provide flow contrast in choroidal vessels in humans and to support functional analysis of ocular hemodynamics in the posterior pole. [17] Improved choroidal flow visualization is of interest for disorders in which choroidal circulation and outflow pathways (e.g. via vortex veins) may be implicated, including the pachychoroid disease spectrum. [18] [19]

Beyond flow magnitude, LDH methods have also been developed to infer the local direction of blood flow with respect to the optical axis in out-of-plane vessels, enabling direction-encoded maps and improving vessel-topology interpretation in the fundus. [20]

Measurement of surface waves on the skin

Holographic photoplethysmogram: laser Doppler holography of pulse waves on the surface of the hand. Hand Emmanuel gain6 color 9 35.gif
Holographic photoplethysmogram: laser Doppler holography of pulse waves on the surface of the hand.

LDH can also be used to measure pulse-related dynamics at the skin surface (a holographic form of photoplethysmography) by analyzing optical fluctuations over time. In some demonstrations, temporal demodulation based on principal component analysis of reconstructed holograms has been used to separate physiological dynamics from static backgrounds and noise. [21]

A general overview of laser Doppler holography (principles and applications) is available on an informational project site. [22]

Related Wikipedia coverage: laser Doppler holography is also discussed in articles such as Microangiography (as a microangiography modality) and Photoplethysmogram (in the context of remote pulse-wave monitoring).

Use in obstetrics and gynaecology

LDI has been used as a non-contact method to assess genital blood flow responses in research settings; signals are reported from shallow tissue depths and described as measures of vasocongestion. Studies have evaluated its validity for differentiating arousal-related responses from non-arousal states in controlled protocols. [23] [24]

Limitations

Commonly reported limitations include:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wårdell, K.; Jakobsson, A.; Nilsson, G. E. (1993). "Laser Doppler perfusion imaging by dynamic light scattering". IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. 40 (4): 309–316. doi:10.1109/10.222322. PMID   8375866. S2CID   23260143.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Leahy, M. J.; de Mul, F. F. M.; Nilsson, G. E.; Maniewski, R. (1999). "Principles and practice of the laser-Doppler perfusion technique". Technology and Health Care. 7 (2–3): 143–162. doi:10.3233/THC-1999-72-306. PMID   10463304.
  3. ↑ Stern, M. D. (1975-03-06). "In vivo evaluation of microcirculation by coherent light scattering". Nature. 254 (5495): 56–58. Bibcode:1975Natur.254...56S. doi:10.1038/254056a0. PMID   1113878. S2CID   4181767.
  4. 1 2 Leutenegger, Marcel; Martin-Williams, Erica; Harbi, Pascal; Thacher, Tyler; Raffoul, Wassim; André, Marc; Lopez, Antonio; Lasser, Philippe; Lasser, Theo (2011-06-01). "Real-time full field laser Doppler imaging". Biomedical Optics Express. 2 (6): 1470–1477. doi: 10.1364/BOE.2.001470 . PMC   3114216 . PMID   21698011.
  5. ↑ Droog, E. J.; Steenbergen, W.; Sjöberg, F. (2001). "Measurement of depth of burns by laser Doppler perfusion imaging". Burns. 27 (6): 561–568. doi:10.1016/S0305-4179(01)00021-3. PMID   11525849.
  6. ↑ Mandal, A. (2006). "Burn wound depth assessment – is laser Doppler imaging the best measurement tool available?". International Journal of Clinical Practice. doi:10.1111/j.1742-4801.2006.00210.x. PMC   7951725 . PMID   17007344.
  7. ↑ Gill, P. (2013). "The critical evaluation of laser Doppler imaging in determining burn depth". International Journal of Burns and Trauma. PMC   3636664 .
  8. ↑ Clark, Stuart; Campbell, Fiona; Moore, Tonia; Jayson, Malcolm I. V.; King, Terence A.; Herrick, Ariane L. (1999-05-01). "Laser Doppler Imaging—A New Technique for Quantifying Microcirculatory Flow in Patients with Primary Raynaud's Phenomenon and Systemic Sclerosis". Microvascular Research. 57 (3): 284–291. doi:10.1006/mvre.1998.2124. PMID   10329254.
  9. ↑ Stewart, C. J. (2005). "A comparison of two laser-based methods for determination of burn scar perfusion: laser Doppler versus laser speckle imaging". Burns. 31 (6): 744–752. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2005.04.004. PMID   16129229.
  10. ↑ Guven, G. (2022). "Comparison of laser speckle contrast imaging with laser Doppler perfusion imaging for assessing microvascular function in humans". Microcirculation. PMC   10078364 .
  11. ↑ Puyo, L.; Paques, M.; Fink, M.; Sahel, J.-A.; Atlan, M. (2018). "In vivo laser Doppler holography of the human retina". Biomedical Optics Express. 9 (9): 4113–4129. arXiv: 1804.10066 . doi: 10.1364/BOE.9.004113 . PMC   6157768 . PMID   30615709.
  12. ↑ Puyo, L.; Paques, M.; Fink, M.; Sahel, J.-A.; Atlan, M. (2018). "In vivo laser Doppler holography of the human retina". Biomedical Optics Express. 9 (9): 4113–4129. arXiv: 1804.10066 . doi: 10.1364/BOE.9.004113 . PMC   6157768 . PMID   30615709.
  13. ↑ Puyo, L.; Paques, M.; Fink, M.; Sahel, J.-A.; Atlan, M. (2018). "In vivo laser Doppler holography of the human retina". Biomedical Optics Express. 9 (9): 4113–4129. arXiv: 1804.10066 . doi: 10.1364/BOE.9.004113 . PMC   6157768 . PMID   30615709.
  14. ↑ Puyo, Léo; Paques, Michel; Fink, Mathias; Sahel, José-Alain; Atlan, Michael (2019). "Waveform analysis of human retinal and choroidal blood flow with laser Doppler holography". Biomedical Optics Express. 10 (10): 4942–4963. arXiv: 2106.00634 . doi: 10.1364/BOE.10.004942 . PMC   6788604 . PMID   31646021.
  15. ↑ Sato, E. (2006). "Retinal haemodynamics in patients with age-related macular degeneration". Eye. doi:10.1038/sj.eye.6701951. PMID   15933745.
  16. ↑ Pillai, G. S.; Kutumbaka, A.; Nazar, P. K.; Chandiri, A.; Ravindran, G. C. (2023). "Association between resistivity index of central retinal artery and severity of diabetic retinopathy". Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. PMID   37870021.
  17. ↑ Puyo, Léo; Paques, Michel; Fink, Mathias; Sahel, José-Alain; Atlan, Michael (2019). "Choroidal vasculature imaging with laser Doppler holography". Biomedical Optics Express. 10 (2): 995–1012. arXiv: 2106.00608 . doi: 10.1364/BOE.10.000995 . PMC   6377881 . PMID   30800528.
  18. ↑ Verma, A.; Tripathy, K. (2021). "Vortex Vein Imaging: What Can It Tell Us?". Clinical Ophthalmology. PMC   8364369 .
  19. ↑ Bacci, T. (2022). "Ultra-Widefield Indocyanine Green Angiography Reveals Patterns of Choroidal Venous Insufficiency Influencing Pachychoroid Disease". Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. doi:10.1167/iovs.63.1.17. PMID   35019945.
  20. ↑ Puyo, L. (2021). "Retinal blood flow reversal quantitatively monitored in out-of-plane vessels". Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-96877-5.
  21. ↑ Puyo, Leo; Bellonnet-Mottet, Loic; Martin, Antoine; Te, Francois; Paques, Michel; Atlan, Michael (2020). "Real-time digital holography of the retina by principal component analysis". arXiv: 2004.00923 [physics.med-ph].
  22. ↑ "Laser Doppler Holography". laserdopplerholography.com. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
  23. ↑ Waxman, Samantha E.; Pukall, Caroline F. (2009). "Laser Doppler Imaging of Genital Blood Flow: A Direct Measure of Female Sexual Arousal". The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 6 (8): 2278–2285. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01326.x. PMID   19493290.
  24. ↑ Styles, SJ; MacLean, AB; Reid, WMN; Sultana, SR (2006). "Short communication: Laser Doppler perfusion imaging: A method for measuring female sexual response". BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 113 (5): 599–601. doi:10.1111/j.1471-0528.2006.00894.x. PMID   16637901. S2CID   31409255.
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