Towards automatic time gating for time-domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy

Time-domain near-infrared spectroscopy (TD-NIRs) and Time-Domain Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (TD-DCS) are emerging imaging techniques that use a near-infrared, long coherence, pulsed laser to characterize oxygenation levels and blood flow. TD-DCS is a promising tool for bedside monitoring of brain activity due to its high time-resolution and portability. One potential new application area for TD-DCS is for detecting non-compressible torso hemorrhages (NCTH). NCTH is a serious traumatic injury that requires surgical intervention and is a leading cause of death in the military due to the lack of a rapid and portable imaging system sensitive enough to detect injury. Applying long wavelengths (1064 nm and 1120 nm) and time gating, TD-DCS can penetrate the superficial tissue layers and potentially detect bleeding deep within an organ. One limitation of current time-gating system is its reliance on full knowledge of the target tissue layers and properties in order to apply gating effectively. An automatic gating scheme that can adjust the time gate to quickly recalibrate itself to different imaging conditions, such as a different body area, can eliminate this limitation. Here, we use modeling and Monte Carlo simulations to search for characteristics in return signal profiles, specifically the time-of-flight and intensity profiles, as first step toward an automatic time-gating algorithm. We detail the simulation setups, parameter sweeps, and preliminary results in this report. These results show promise for TD-DCS as a tool for rapid and continuous monitoring of injuries in the field.