# Ultrahigh Speed OCT Angiography System for Patients who are Unable to Cooperate

> **NIH NIH R43** · THEIA IMAGING LLC · 2022 · $259,603

## Abstract

Systemic and ocular diseases affecting retinal vascular development, perfusion, and neovascularization are
preventable causes of moderate to severe vision impairment in millions of people worldwide. While many adults
can cooperate with and hold still for advanced retinal imaging, a significant number of patients including infants,
young children, and older patients who, due to sickness, mobility, anesthesia, or a variety of other reasons, are
unable to cooperate (I/Y/UC patients) cannot. These patients are often the youngest and/or sickest patients
who are at the highest risk of vascular, neurovascular, or ischemic disease that can affect the eye.
 At present, these patients cannot access advanced imaging technologies that would provide valuable
diagnostic information and would contribute to advancing our understanding of their diseases. Optical coherence
tomography (OCT) is the gold standard for diagnosis of retinal diseases. OCT angiography (OCTA) is a functional
extension of OCT that enables non-invasive, depth resolved imaging of retinal microvasculature without the need
for exogenous contrast agents. Because of its dense sampling requirements, OCTA requires long scans and
compliant patients who can hold their head and eyes steady. While large tabletop systems can simplify imaging
with active tracking, I/Y/UC patients typically cannot position at a chinrest for the duration of the scan. We believe
that the development of an ultra-high-speed commercial handheld OCTA device would provide
physicians a valuable research and diagnostic tool for imaging of these underserved patients.
 Under previous NIH funding, Theia Imaging has developed the T1 system, a portable OCT device with a
light-weight HH-OCT probe. Here, we propose to develop the T1-A, an ultra-high-speed upgrade to the T1
system that can bring state-of-the-art OCTA imaging to bedside. This will be achieved through the following
Specific Aims. Aim 1: Development of an ultra-high-speed handheld OCTA system. We will develop an ultra-
high-speed OCT device by upgrading components in the existing T1 OCT. Aim 2: Development of OCTA
acquisition and processing software. We will develop OCTA capture and visualization software, including a
novel high-speed aiming mode and capable of providing real-time feedback, even at these extremely high scan
rates. Aim 3: Validation study. We will demonstrate system feasibility by conducting a validation study
evaluating the performance of the T1-A system.
 The expected outcome of this proposal is the development of an ultra-high-speed, handheld OCTA imaging
tool, ready for clinician-scientists and caregivers to use to gather vascular data that would otherwise be
inaccessible. This tool will improve the care of these underserved populations. Upon successful completion of
this project, we will submit a follow-on Phase II proposal to the system, construct additional prototype devices,
and work with collaborators to perform a multi-center clinical study to obtai...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10547018
- **Project number:** 1R43EY034418-01
- **Recipient organization:** THEIA IMAGING LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Al-Hafeez Zahir Dhalla
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $259,603
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10547018

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10547018, Ultrahigh Speed OCT Angiography System for Patients who are Unable to Cooperate (1R43EY034418-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10547018. Licensed CC0.

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