Evaluation of Moisture-Related Attenuation Coefficient and Water Diffusion Velocity in Human Skin Using Optical Coherence Tomography

In this study, time-resolved optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanning images of the process of water diffusion in the skin that illustrate the enhancement in the backscattered intensities due to the increased water concentration are presented. In our experiments, the water concentration in the skin was increased by soaking the hand in water, and the same region of the skin was scanned and measured with the OCT system and a commercial moisture monitor every three minutes. To quantitatively analyze the moisture-related optical properties and the velocity of water diffusion in human skin, the attenuation coefficients of the skin, including the epidermis and dermis layers, were evaluated. Furthermore, the evaluated attenuation coefficients were compared with the measurements made using the commercial moisture monitor. The results demonstrate that the attenuation coefficient increases as the water concentration increases. Furthermore, by evaluating the positions of center-of mass of the backscattered intensities from OCT images, the diffusion velocity can be estimated. In contrast to the commercial moisture monitor, OCT can provide three-dimensional structural images of the skin and characterize its optical property, which together can be used to observe morphological changes and quantitatively evaluate the moisture-related attenuation coefficients in different skin layers.

[1]  Lihong V. Wang.  Multiscale photoacoustic microscopy and computed tomography. , 2009, Nature photonics.

[2]  Hsiang-Chieh Lee,et al.  Effective indicators for diagnosis of oral cancer using optical coherence tomography. , 2008, Optics express.

[3]  T. M. Joergensen,et al.  Assessment of Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging in the Diagnosis of Non‐Melanoma Skin Cancer and Benign Lesions Versus Normal Skin: Observer‐Blinded Evaluation by Dermatologists and Pathologists , 2009, Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.].

[4]  Selim Suner,et al.  Photonics‐based In Vivo total hemoglobin monitoring and clinical relevance , 2009, Journal of biophotonics.

[5]  Jun Zhang,et al.  Determination of burn depth by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography , 1999, Photonics West - Biomedical Optics.

[6]  L. Norlén,et al.  A new computer-based evaporimeter system for rapid and precise measurements of water diffusion through stratum corneum in vitro. , 1999, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[7]  Meng-Tsan Tsai,et al.  Microvascular Imaging Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography with Single-Channel Acquisition , 2011 .

[8]  L. C. Aamodt,et al.  Photothermal spectroscopy using optical beam probing: Mirage effect , 1980 .

[9]  Toyohiko Yatagai,et al.  In vivo three-dimensional birefringence analysis shows collagen differences between young and old photo-aged human skin. , 2008, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[10]  Barry Cense,et al.  Advances in optical coherence tomography imaging for dermatology. , 2004, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[11]  Gerald Matz,et al.  Artefact reduction for cell migration visualization using spectral domain optical coherence tomography , 2011, Journal of biophotonics.

[12]  P. Andersen,et al.  OCT imaging of skin cancer and other dermatological diseases , 2009, Journal of biophotonics.

[13]  R. Huber,et al.  Recent developments in Fourier Domain Mode Locked lasers for optical coherence tomography: Imaging at 1310 nm vs. 1550 nm wavelength , 2009, Journal of biophotonics.

[14]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  Three-dimensional endomicroscopy using optical coherence tomography , 2007 .

[15]  Karsten König,et al.  Clinical multiphoton tomography , 2008, Journal of biophotonics.

[16]  D C Salter,et al.  Examination of stratum corneum hydration state by electrical methods. , 1998, Current problems in dermatology.

[17]  T. Yatagai,et al.  Three-dimensional and high-speed swept-source optical coherence tomography for in vivo investigation of human anterior eye segments. , 2005, Optics express.

[18]  S. Yun,et al.  High-speed spectral-domain optical coherence tomography at 1.3 mum wavelength. , 2003, Optics express.

[19]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  Optical Coherence Tomography , 1991, LEOS '92 Conference Proceedings.

[20]  R. Potts,et al.  Stratum corneum hydration: experimental techniques and interpretations of results , 1986 .

[21]  Srirang Manohar,et al.  Imaging of tumor vasculature using Twente photoacoustic systems , 2009, Journal of biophotonics.

[22]  A. G. Emslie,et al.  The diffusion of water across the stratum corneum as a function of its water content. , 1984, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[23]  S. Yun,et al.  High-speed optical frequency-domain imaging. , 2003, Optics express.

[24]  D L Farkas,et al.  Noninvasive imaging of living human skin with dual-wavelength optical coherence tomography in two and three dimensions. , 1998, Journal of biomedical optics.

[25]  Ruikang K. Wang,et al.  Optical micro-angiography images structural and functional cerebral blood perfusion in mice with cranium left intact. , 2011, Journal of biophotonics.

[26]  H. Bruining,et al.  In vivo confocal Raman microspectroscopy of the skin: noninvasive determination of molecular concentration profiles. , 2001, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[27]  J. Schmitt,et al.  Correlation of Thickness of Basal Cell Carcinoma by Optical Coherence Tomography In Vivo and Routine Histologic Findings: A Pilot Study , 2007, Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.].

[28]  H. Maibach,et al.  Water diffusion characteristics of human stratum corneum at different anatomical sites in vivo. , 1998, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[29]  Masato Ohmi,et al.  Dynamic analysis of internal and external mental sweating by optical coherence tomography. , 2009, Journal of biomedical optics.

[30]  Heeyoung Jung,et al.  Optical Sensing Method for Screening Disease in Melon Seeds by Using Optical Coherence Tomography , 2011, Sensors.

[31]  Prasch,et al.  Infrared spectroscopy of the skin: influencing the stratum corneum with cosmetic products , 2000, International journal of cosmetic science.

[32]  Zhongping Chen,et al.  Phase-resolved optical coherence tomography and optical Doppler tomography for imaging blood flow in human skin with fast scanning speed and high velocity sensitivity. , 2000, Optics letters.

[33]  Meng-Tsan Tsai,et al.  Differentiation of oral precancerous stages with optical coherence tomography based on the evaluation of optical scattering properties of oral mucosae , 2013, Laser Physics.

[34]  Vrushali R. Korde,et al.  Using optical coherence tomography to evaluate skin sun damage and precancer , 2007, Lasers in surgery and medicine.

[35]  Masato Ohmi,et al.  Dynamic Optical Coherence Tomography of Small Arteries and Veins of Human Fingers , 2008 .

[36]  G. Ripandelli,et al.  Optical coherence tomography. , 1998, Seminars in ophthalmology.

[37]  Leslie M Loew,et al.  Second-harmonic imaging microscopy for visualizing biomolecular arrays in cells, tissues and organisms , 2003, Nature Biotechnology.

[38]  Michael Pircher,et al.  Measurements of depolarization distribution in the healthy human macula by polarization sensitive OCT , 2009, Journal of biophotonics.

[39]  Suhwan Kim,et al.  Non-Destructive Inspection Methods for LEDs Using Real-Time Displaying Optical Coherence Tomography , 2012, Sensors.

[40]  Young-Ah Woo,et al.  Determination of water content in skin by using a ft near infrared spectrometer , 2005, Archives of pharmacal research.