美国斯坦福大学Daniel Palanker团队实现了用相敏光学相干断层扫描在体内测量视网膜热变形。该项研究成果发表在2025年4月2日出版的《光：科学与应用》杂志上。

在视网膜激光治疗期间控制组织温度升高对于可预测的结果至关重要，特别是在非损伤性环境中。研究组演示了一种在体内使用相敏光学相干断层扫描（pOCT）确定视网膜温升的方法。基于10ms激光脉冲期间视网膜中热诱导光程长度变化（ΔOPL）的测量允许以小于1°C的精度检测温升 ，这足以校准患者特异性非损伤治疗的激光功率。

研究组观察到正常和退化视网膜在视网膜变形限制方面存在显著差异：在野生型大鼠中，热变形局限于视网膜色素上皮（RPE）和光感受器内段（IS）之间，而不是变形深入退化视网膜的视网膜内层。这意味着健康的光感受器中存在一种结构成分，可以抑制激光加热RPE和色素脉络膜引起的组织扩张。

研究组假设，连接光感受器内外段（IS、OS）的薄而柔软的纤毛可能会吸收OS的变形，从而阻止组织进一步向内扩张。激光脉冲在健康和退化视网膜中引起的视网膜变形限制方面的显著差异可作为表征光感受器退化的生物力学诊断工具。

附：英文原文

Title: Retinal thermal deformations measured with phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography in vivo

Author: Zhuo, Yueming, Bhuckory, Mohajeet, Li, Huakun, Hattori, Junya, Pham-Howard, Davis, Veysset, David, Ling, Tong, Palanker, Daniel

Issue&Volume: 2025-04-02

Abstract: Controlling the tissue temperature rise during retinal laser therapy is essential for predictable outcomes, especially at non-damaging settings. We demonstrate a method for determining the temperature rise in the retina using phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (pOCT) in vivo. Measurements based on the thermally induced optical path length changes (ΔOPL) in the retina during a 10-ms laser pulse allow detection of the temperature rise with a precision less than 1°C, which is sufficient for calibration of the laser power for patient-specific non-damaging therapy. We observed a significant difference in confinement of the retinal deformations between the normal and the degenerate retina: in wild-type rats, thermal deformations are localized between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the photoreceptors’ inner segments (IS), as opposed to a deep penetration of the deformations into the inner retinal layers in the degenerate retina. This implies the presence of a structural component within healthy photoreceptors that dampens the tissue expansion induced by the laser heating of the RPE and pigmented choroid. We hypothesize that the thin and soft cilium connecting the inner and outer segments (IS, OS) of photoreceptors may absorb the deformations of the OS and thereby preclude the tissue expansion further inward. Striking difference in the confinement of the retinal deformations induced by a laser pulse in healthy and degenerate retina may be used as a biomechanical diagnostic tool for the characterization of photoreceptors degeneration.

DOI: 10.1038/s41377-025-01798-x

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41377-025-01798-x