The aim of this thesis was to develop both experimental and analytic methods for the evaluation of the effect of surfactant delivery on lung alveolar mechanics by using a recent technique, the in-vivo microscopy. An innovative preparation allows examining models of animal lung without altering their mechanical properties. Dedicated software was implemented for triggering microscopic images during mechanical ventilation. Image analysis of the alveolar field was optimized through a semi-automatic segmentation method, based on an innovative approach. This method has been validated through a comparison with manual segmentation, providing promising results. The physiological results lead to an important conclusion: surfactant distribution requires new vehicles to reduce the observed inhomogeneity, especially for premature newborn therapy. Regarding the proposed method, in vivo microscopic approach could be combined with other techniques, such as microCT, to investigate alveolar and microvascular mechanics in animal models of lung injury and pulmonary hypertension.
Lo scopo della presente tesi è quello di sviluppare nuovi metodi, sperimentali e analitici, per la valutazione dell’effetto della somministrazione di surfattante sulla meccanica degli alveoli polmonari, sfruttando una recente tecnica, la microscopia in vivo. Una preparazione innovativa permette di esaminare modelli di polmone animale senza alterare le loro proprietà meccaniche. Nell’ambito della tesi, si è sviluppato un software per sincronizzare l’acquisizione delle immagini durante la ventilazione meccanica. L’analisi delle immagini del campo alveolare è stata perfezionata attraverso un metodo di segmentazione semi-automatico, basato su un approccio innovativo. Questo metodo è stato validato tramite un confronto con una segmentazione manuale, fornendo risultati promettenti. I risultati fisiologici hanno consentito di concludere che la distribuzione di surfattante risulta fortemente disomogenea; nuovi dispositivi sono quindi richiesti per la somministrazione. Relativamente al metodo proposto, l’approccio microscopico potrebbe in futuro essere combinato con altre tecniche, come la microCT, per investigare la meccanica alveolare e microvascolare in modelli animali di diverse patologie, tra le quali l'ipertensione polmonare.
Development of innovative methods based on in vivo microscopy for studying the effects of surfactant on alveolar mechanics
MAZZUCA, ENRICO
2011/2012
Abstract
The aim of this thesis was to develop both experimental and analytic methods for the evaluation of the effect of surfactant delivery on lung alveolar mechanics by using a recent technique, the in-vivo microscopy. An innovative preparation allows examining models of animal lung without altering their mechanical properties. Dedicated software was implemented for triggering microscopic images during mechanical ventilation. Image analysis of the alveolar field was optimized through a semi-automatic segmentation method, based on an innovative approach. This method has been validated through a comparison with manual segmentation, providing promising results. The physiological results lead to an important conclusion: surfactant distribution requires new vehicles to reduce the observed inhomogeneity, especially for premature newborn therapy. Regarding the proposed method, in vivo microscopic approach could be combined with other techniques, such as microCT, to investigate alveolar and microvascular mechanics in animal models of lung injury and pulmonary hypertension.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/68162