ASTROHN is to create a blood vessel imaging device
ASTROHN Technology Ltd engineers are developing a blood vessel imaging hardware. It can be used for the diagnosis and monitoring of venous diseases, during surgical operations, as well as intravenous injections.
Using IR spectral imaging, the devise visualizes small structures of blood vessels. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, the proportion of deaths from circulatory diseases was 46.9%. Most often, blood loss from an accidental dissection of a blood vessel leads to fatal outcomes during operations. Russian engineers from ASTROHN Technology Ltd decided to create a device that would help doctors better navigate complex intertwining of blood vessels. The developed device will be simple to use and will enhance the effectiveness of experts’ activity during intravenous injections and vascular operations.
The blood vessels imaging occurs due to infrared video technology. Based on the structural features of the human circulatory system, infrared wavelengths are best suited for capturing images of the venous structure. Longer light waves can penetrate deep into the skin. This feature allows distinguishing between blood vessels and surrounding tissue. The developed camera and infrared radiation source are connected via the USB interface. The device is intended for non-invasive diagnostics, is safe and has no medical contraindications. The visualized size of the area on the human body depends on the characteristics of the infrared camera used – resolution, physical size of the matrix, pixel size. At present, ASTROHN Technology Ltd uses ASTROHN-38425-1 and ASTROHN-64025-1 vanadium oxide microbolometers with 17 µm matrix sensitive elements operating in the range of 8-14 µm. The multiplexer size is 384×288 pixels, sensitivity – up to 40 mK. In the future, it is desirable to use a camera with a resolution of at least 2048×1088, and a pixel size of 5.5 µm, to visualize blood vessels with a diameter of less than 1 mm. The engineers of ASTROHN Technology Ltd set these goals for themselves for the next few years.
Currently, an experimental model has been created. Final studies are underway, confirming the possibility of medical institutions using the hardware system for the diagnosis and monitoring of blood vessels.
