Minimizing intensity fluctuations in dynamic holographic optical tweezers by restricted phase change.

We present a method for reducing intensity fluctuations that typically occur when a spatial light modulator is updated between consecutive computer generated holograms. The method is applicable to most iterative hologram generating algorithms and minimizes the average phase difference between consecutive holograms. Applications with high stability requirements, such as optical force measurement with holographic optical tweezers, should benefit from this improvement.

Grid-free 3D multiple spot generation with an efficient single-plane FFT-based algorithm.

Algorithms based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) for the design of spot-generating computer generated holograms (CGHs) typically only make use of a few sample positions in the propagated field. We have developed a new design method that much better utilizes the information-carrying capacity of the sampled propagated field. In this way design tasks which are difficult to accomplish with conventional FFT-based design methods, such as spot positioning at non-sample positions and/or spot positioning in 3D, are solved as easily as any standard design task using a conventional method. The new design method is based on a projection optimization, similar to that in the commonly used Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm, and the vastly improved design freedom comes at virtually no extra computational cost compared to the conventional design. Several different design tasks were demonstrated experimentally with a liquid crystal spatial light modulator, showing highly accurate creation of the desired field distributions.

Parallel imaging: is GRAPPA a useful acquisition tool for MR imaging intended for volumetric brain analysis?

BACKGROUND: The work presented here investigates parallel imaging applied to T1-weighted high resolution imaging for use in longitudinal volumetric clinical studies involving Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) patients. This was in an effort to shorten acquisition times to minimise the risk of motion artefacts caused by patient discomfort and disorientation. The principle question is, "Can parallel imaging be used to acquire images at 1.5 T of sufficient quality to allow volumetric analysis of patient brains?" METHODS: Optimisation studies were performed on a young healthy volunteer and the selected protocol (including the use of two different parallel imaging acceleration factors) was then tested on a cohort of 15 elderly volunteers including MCI and AD patients. In addition to automatic brain segmentation, hippocampus volumes were manually outlined and measured in all patients. The 15 patients were scanned on a second occasion approximately one week later using the same protocol and evaluated in the same manner to test repeatability of measurement using images acquired with the GRAPPA parallel imaging technique applied to the MPRAGE sequence. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation tests show that almost perfect agreement between repeated measurements of both segmented brain parenchyma fraction and regional measurement of hippocampi. The protocol is suitable for both global and regional volumetric measurement dementia patients. CONCLUSION: In summary, these results indicate that parallel imaging can be used without detrimental effect to brain tissue segmentation and volumetric measurement and should be considered for both clinical and research studies where longitudinal measurements of brain tissue volumes are of interest.

Cerebral connectivity and psychotic personality traits. A diffusion tensor imaging study.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between regional connectivity in the brain white matter and the presence of psychotic personality traits, in healthy subjects with psychotic traits. Thirteen healthy controls were administered the MMPI-2, to assess psychotic traits and, according to MMPI results, a dichotomization into a group of "high-psychotic" and "low-psychotic" was performed. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used as a non-invasive measure, in order to obtain information about the fractional anisotropy (FA), an intravoxel index of local connectivity and, by means of a voxelwise approach, the between-group differences of the FA values were calculated. The "high-psychotic" group showed higher FA in the left arcuate fasciculus. Subjects with low scores for psychotic traits had significantly higher FA in the corpus callosum, right arcuate fasciculus, and fronto-parietal fibers. In line with previous brain imaging studies of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, our results suggest that psychotic personality traits are related to altered connectivity and brain asymmetry.