Significance: Previous studies have been performed to image photosensitizers in certain organs and tumors using fluorescence laminar optical tomography. Currently, no work has yet been published to quantitatively compare the signal compensation of fluorescence laminar optical tomography with two-dimensional (2-D) imaging in tissues. Aim: The purpose of this study is to quantify the benefit that fluorescence laminar optical tomography holds over 2-D imaging. We compared fluorescence laminar optical tomography with maximum intensity projection imaging to simulate 2-D imaging, as this would be the most similar and stringent comparison. Approach: A capillary filled with a photosensitizer was placed in a phantom and ex vivo rodent brains, with fluorescence laminar optical tomography and maximum intensity projection images obtained. The signal loss in the Z direction was quantified and compared to see which methodology could compensate better for signal loss caused by tissue attenuation. Results: The results demonstrated that we can reconstruct a capillary filled with benzoporphyrin derivative photosensitizers faithfully in phantoms and in ex vivo rodent brain tissues using fluorescence laminar optical tomography. We further demonstrated that we can better compensate for signal loss when compared with maximum intensity projection imaging. Conclusions: Using fluorescence laminar optical tomography (FLOT), one can compensate for signal loss in deeper parts of tissue when imaging in ex vivo rodent brain tissue compared with maximum intensity projection imaging.

中文翻译：

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使用荧光层流光学断层扫描对啮齿动物大脑中的光敏剂进行深度分辨成像

意义：以前的研究已经使用荧光层流光学断层扫描对某些器官和肿瘤中的光敏剂进行成像。目前，尚未发表任何工作来定量比较荧光层流光学断层扫描的信号补偿与组织中的二维 (2-D) 成像。目的：本研究的目的是量化荧光层流光学断层扫描相对于二维成像的优势。我们将荧光层流光学断层扫描与最大强度投影成像进行比较以模拟二维成像，因为这将是最相似和最严格的比较。方法：将填充有光敏剂的毛细管置于体模和离体啮齿动物大脑中，获得荧光层流光学断层扫描和最大强度投影图像。Z 方向的信号损失被量化并进行比较，以了解哪种方法可以更好地补偿由组织衰减引起的信号损失。结果：结果表明，我们可以使用荧光层流光学断层扫描在体模和离体啮齿动物脑组织中忠实地重建充满苯并卟啉衍生物光敏剂的毛细血管。我们进一步证明，与最大强度投影成像相比，我们可以更好地补偿信号损失。结论：使用荧光层流光学断层扫描 (FLOT)，与最大强度投影成像相比，在离体啮齿动物脑组织中成像时，可以补偿组织深层部分的信号损失。