Noninvasive assessment of the repair process in diabetic wound healing using multimodal imaging techniques

The wound healing process in diabetic patients is complex and often accompanied by risks of infection and ischemia. Currently, clinical assessment mainly relies on visual examination and surface measurement, which have limitations such as strong subjectivity and the inability to conduct in-depth evaluations. In this study, we established an integrated multimodal non-invasive imaging platform to accurately evaluate the healing process of diabetic wounds and quantitatively assess the therapeutic potential of Zn²⁺-based treatment methods in promoting microcirculation reconstruction. By overcoming the limitations of single-modality approaches, this integrated platform allows for the simultaneous monitoring of macroscopic surface blood perfusion and high-resolution 3D capillary structural changes, providing a uniquely comprehensive dataset of the microvascular repair process. We implemented a novel technical platform combining laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), second near-infrared region (NIR-II) imaging, and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to conduct longitudinal, high-resolution imaging of full-thickness skin wound healing in both normal and db/db diabetic mouse models. The platform enabled dynamic monitoring of vascular and structural changes throughout the healing process. The multimodal imaging approach successfully provided comprehensive quantitative data: LSCI revealed real-time dynamic changes in cutaneous blood perfusion, NIR-II imaging delineated the spatial-temporal evolution of vascular network structures, while OCTA offered detailed characterization of internal wound microarchitecture and microvascular patterns. This integrated methodology permitted both qualitative and quantitative assessment of wound repair capacity with unprecedented resolution. The developed multimodal imaging platform provides a comprehensive quantitative tool for monitoring wound healing outcomes and evaluating structural vascular changes in diabetic wounds. It demonstrates promising feasibility for assessing the efficacy of novel pro-angiogenic treatments and offers valuable insights that may eventually aid in guiding clinical wound management.