New Imaging Technology Could Help Detect Eye and Heart Disease Much Earlier

 A research team at the University of Colorado Boulder has developed a new type of optical coherence tomography (OCT) device that could transform how doctors detect and monitor diseases affecting the eye, heart, and other delicate tissues. Unlike traditional OCT systems, which rely on mechanical components to scan tissue, the new system eliminates moving parts altogether. This approach promises to make imaging devices more compact, reliable, and suitable for use inside the body.

The team’s design replaces spinning mirrors and mechanical actuators with electrowetting-based liquid lenses. These lenses steer light by changing shape in response to an electrical voltage. Because the system does not physically move hardware to scan tissue, it greatly reduces the risk of wear and tear while also cutting down power requirements.

The details of the innovation appear in the journal Optics Express, and the work is already being positioned as a possible step toward smaller, more versatile OCT systems that could be integrated into portable scanners, flexible endoscopes, or even wearable health monitoring devices.

How OCT Works and Why It Matters

OCT is a non-invasive imaging method that uses light waves to capture high-resolution, cross-sectional images of tissue. It is widely used in eye care, where it allows ophthalmologists to see layers of the retina in great detail. The technology is critical for diagnosing conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma—diseases where early detection can preserve sight.

In addition to ophthalmology, OCT has potential uses in cardiology, neurology, and cancer diagnostics. Its main limitation has been the size, complexity, and fragility of traditional systems. The mechanical scanning components, while effective, can limit portability and make the devices less reliable over time.

Lead author Samuel Gilinsky, PhD, a researcher in electrical engineering at CU Boulder, said the elimination of moving parts changes the equation: “The benefits of non-mechanical scanning is that you eliminate the need to physically move objects in your device, which reduces any sources of mechanical failure and increases the overall longevity of the device itself.”

From Zebrafish Eyes to Human Applications

To test the prototype, the team imaged the eyes of live zebrafish. Zebrafish are a standard model for human eye anatomy because they share similar structural features. The results showed that the new system could clearly resolve the cornea, iris, and lens at subcellular resolution—comparable to commercial OCT machines.

The experiment demonstrated that the electrowetting lens could accurately steer the light beam without distortion or drift, producing images suitable for detailed anatomical analysis. This kind of stability is essential for clinical applications, where reliability and image clarity can mean the difference between detecting disease early or missing it entirely.

The zebrafish tests also allowed the researchers to measure the system’s dynamic range and contrast. Both metrics are crucial for detecting subtle changes in tissue that might indicate disease in its earliest stages. Co-author Juliet Gopinath, PhD, a professor of electrical engineering, highlighted the broader potential: “Our work presents an opportunity where we can hopefully detect health conditions earlier and improve the lives of people.”

Expanding Beyond Ophthalmology

One of the most promising aspects of the CU Boulder system is its adaptability. Because the device is compact and energy efficient, it could be adapted for imaging beyond the eye. The team envisions using it to inspect the walls of coronary arteries, providing cardiologists with a way to detect atherosclerosis before it leads to heart attack or stroke.

Cardiovascular OCT imaging today often requires bulky equipment and relatively rigid catheters. A miniaturized, flexible version could be incorporated into ultra-thin catheters that navigate through blood vessels with minimal discomfort. Such devices could offer high-resolution images from inside the arteries, giving doctors a new way to assess plaque buildup and vessel health in real time.

“This could be a critical technique for in vivo imaging inside our bodies,” Gilinsky said.

Neurology is another possible frontier. In principle, the same technology could be adapted to image neural tissues or monitor structural changes in the brain, provided the optical access and miniaturization challenges can be met.

Engineering Without Moving Parts

The electrowetting lens at the core of the system changes its curvature when voltage is applied. This property allows it to direct the scanning beam across the sample without mechanical rotation. The lack of moving parts not only improves durability but also enables much smaller designs.

Without heavy motors or delicate moving mirrors, the system consumes significantly less power. That efficiency could make it feasible to run the device on small battery-powered platforms, opening the possibility for handheld scanners or wearable devices for continuous monitoring.

Reducing the device size also makes it easier to integrate into surgical instruments. For example, a flexible endoscope equipped with OCT could give surgeons real-time, high-resolution images during minimally invasive procedures. That level of detail could help guide precision surgeries or spot tissue abnormalities before they become serious.

Toward Clinical Translation

The CU Boulder team is now working on converting their lab prototype into clinical-grade systems. They are exploring ways to integrate the technology into flexible endoscopes for both ophthalmic and cardiovascular imaging. The project has received funding from the Office of Naval Research, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation, indicating strong interest in both the medical and defense sectors.

One of the design goals is to make the devices as small and flexible as possible without compromising image quality. “There is a growing push to make endoscopes as small in diameter and flexible as possible to cause as little discomfort as possible,” Gilinsky said. “By using our components, we can maintain a very small-scale optical system compared to a mechanical scanner that can help OCT technologies.”

If these goals are met, clinicians could one day have access to OCT tools that fit into a pocket or attach to wearable devices. This would make it easier to bring advanced imaging directly to patients, whether in a hospital, a remote clinic, or even at home.

The Bigger Picture

This work fits into a broader trend toward miniaturized, low-power medical imaging systems. Advances in optics, materials science, and microfabrication are making it possible to shrink devices that once filled entire rooms down to chip-scale systems.

For OCT specifically, the shift to non-mechanical scanning could remove one of the biggest barriers to widespread adoption outside of specialist clinics. By improving durability, lowering cost, and reducing size, the CU Boulder system could allow OCT to become a routine tool not just for ophthalmologists, but for cardiologists, neurologists, and even primary care doctors.

Early detection is critical for both eye disease and heart disease, two of the most common causes of disability and death worldwide. A more accessible and versatile imaging platform could help identify problems years before symptoms appear, giving patients more treatment options and better outcomes.

Conclusion

The University of Colorado Boulder’s new OCT technology shows how removing moving parts from imaging devices can open the door to entirely new applications. By using electrowetting-based liquid lenses instead of mechanical scanning mirrors, the system combines high resolution with durability, energy efficiency, and a compact design.

The successful imaging of zebrafish eyes proves the concept, and the potential applications—from detecting macular degeneration to mapping coronary arteries—point to a wide future impact. With further development and clinical validation, this approach could lead to smaller, more versatile imaging tools that bring advanced diagnostics closer to the patient, whether in the operating room, the doctor’s office, or the home.

If the CU Boulder team’s vision is realized, detecting diseases like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or atherosclerosis might one day be as simple as using a handheld scanner—catching these conditions early enough to make a meaningful difference in patient health.