Assessment of kidney structure and function using GRIN lens based laparoscope with optical coherence tomography

Abstract

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and potentially devastating disease in clinical medicine. Currently, there is a lack of early available biomarkers for AKI, therefore precludes the initiation of treatment or therapy in a timely manner. In clinical practice, however, standard indicators of kidney function following transplantation require several days to achieve a steady-state in order to accurately reflect graft function. Recently, we have developed a laparoscopic probe that can perform imaging in vivo and in real time using optical coherence tomography (OCT). The design of the probe consists of two galvanometers for transverse scans, an objective, and a GRIN lens relay. The scan range depends on the size of GRIN lens implemented. In this study, a GRIN lens relay of 4.57mm in diameter and 219mm in length is implemented. Using the laparoscopic probe, we have imaged human skin in situ and rat kidney ex vivo with clear visualization of features such as the dermal layers and eccrine sweat glands in the skin, and glomeruli and convoluted tubules in the kidney. We have also demonstrated the use of Doppler OCT to quantify flow rate in capillary phantom. These data demonstrate the probe's imaging capability and its possible use in imaging human kidney in vivo and in real time during the standard laparoscopic partial nephrectomy procedures, and to provide a quantitative assessment of kidney structure and function following transplantation. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.