This Phase I STTR Grant Proposal requests $100,000 support for WestFace Medical Device to construct and test the WestFace Imaging Adaptor in conjunction with Ruikang K. Wang, PhD and his laboratory at the University of Washington. Utilizing optical coherence tomography (OCT), the patented OCT Adaptor (USPTO Pats. # 7,682,089, # 8,057,107, #8,235,602) provides revolutionary real-time forward imaging at the tip of any hollow bore needle or probe. The OCT Adapter allows for the adoption of a much needed and significant innovation: forward imaging for all procedures involving hollow-bore needles and probes. In medicine, the majority of needle-based procedures are """"""""blind"""""""" (performed without image guidance). Data suggests that forward imaging capacity drastically improves both patient safety and outcomes by allowing the physician real-time decision-making capabilities. Currently, there are no imaging adapters or integrated needles with broad acceptance or utilization. This may be a result of significant barriers to adoption, including cost and the highly specialized nature of many of these products. The OCT adapter supersedes these common barriers by its application across a wide array of procedures and specialties in a manner that does not require modification of existing techniques. Through broad application and simple engineering, the OCT adapter brings forward imaging capacity to a vast number of needle based techniques in a manner that significantly mitigates barriers of adoption. This research project will take place at the WestFace MD Laboratories and the Wang Lab at the University of Washington. The first six months of the project will focus on developing the adapter. The adapter will be designed in CAD utilizing the current non-functioning prototypes and notes from the previous functional adapter. It will be produced with rapid 3D prototyping equipment. Concurrently, the 1310nm OCT system currently available in the Wang lab will be modified to be suitable for testing the OCT adapter. The second six- month period of the project will focus on testing the OCT adapter in freshly euthanized animals (e.g. rags) in the Wang Lab. The performance measures will include signal to noise ratio, axial imaging resolution, lateral imaging resolution, and attainable imaging speed. The results from the tissue samples will be compared with the existing OCT imaging devices available in the Wang lab.
Utilizing optical coherence tomography technology (OCT), this project proposes development of an imaging adapter that will provide needle tip-sourced imaging for all hollow bore needles. In medicine, the majority of needle-based procedures are blind (performed without image guidance). Data suggests that forward imaging capacity drastically improves both patient safety and outcomes by allowing the physician real- time decision-making capabilities.
