A finite impulse response filter, which shifts the focal plane in optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, is proposed. Since several OCT images with the focal plane in various positions can be fused into one image with increased lateral resolution, such a filter facilitates the creation of an OCT system with numerically increased lateral resolution, operating in real-time, i.e. showing one OCT B-scan with increased lateral resolution while collecting data for the next B-scan. Since the proposed real-time resolution enhancement method is phase-sensitive, the method for estimating and compensating phase shifts between consecutive B-scans during data acquisition is also discussed.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) systems have huge potential for application beyond the traditional ophthalmology as general-purpose medical instrument for optical biopsy. The widening of the range of applications is expected to significantly increase production volume and, consequently, puts pressure on unit cost. This trend calls for a flexible and miniaturized system fabricated in a batch process. In this paper the different OCT configurations are compared for suitability in such an implementation. The required flexibility favors operation in the spectral domain, using a broadband light source in combination with a spectrometer, while the miniaturization and low unit-cost in batch fabrication can ...

We demonstrated non-destructive and non-contact measurement of semiconductor optical waveguide using optical coherence tomography with a visible broadband light source (vis-OCT). Vis-OCT can provide high axial and lateral resolutions of less than 1 µm, which were effective for measurement of optical waveguides with several-micrometer structure. We obtained cross-sectional images of ridge-type optical waveguides (RWGs) fabricated as test samples and measured the height and width of the RWGs. The height and width measured by vis-OCT were similar to these values measured by scanning electron microscopy. These results indicated that vis-OCT enables measurement of the height and width of optical waveguides without ...

The usability of time-domain optical coherence tomography equipped with a flexible endoscopic probe for detecting effusion in the tympanic cavity is shown in the clinical environment. The possibility of assessing the dynamic properties of effusion, particularly its contained scatterers' mobility, is shown in real clinical cases. A method of comparative assessment of scatterers' mobility is proposed.

Objective . Microgap formation between polymer-based resin system and teeth surfaces is undetectable by conventional x-rays. Therefore, this in vitro study was designed to assess the adaptation of polymeric dental fillings and microgap formation at the tooth floor using cross-polymerization optical coherence tomography (CP-OCT). Materials and Methods . Class-I cavities (4 mm diameter × 1.5 mm depth) were prepared in twenty extracted molar teeth and divided into two groups: ESQ and DI (n = 10). All groups were bonded with Tetric-N Bond universal (Ivoclar/Vivadent) in selective etching mode. Then, each group was restored with either Estelite ∑ Quick dental composite (ESQ; Tokuyama Dental ...

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) relies on ballistic back scattered photons to construct depth resolved optical slices of a specimen. However, the theory of OCT is generally math heavy and unintuitive. In this paper, we propose an approach, and show as many aspects of the OCT signal formation that can be described by using simple math and intuitive physics. The model allowing for simulating a semi-ideal OCT signal from an object with an arbitrary structure is presented.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive high-resolution diagnostic imaging modality that plays an increasingly important role in dermatology. Diagnosis of skin diseases using OCT requires both cellular-level high resolution and large area skin coverage. In practice, however, there exists a trade-off between the achievable spatial resolutions and the transverse scanning range. In this study, we report a Micro-OCT ( μ OCT) system that is capable of providing three-dimensional images of the skin at multiple spatial scales with both cellular-level resolution (1–2 μ m) mode and large area (~ mm 2 ) scanning mode. Specifically, in the cellular-level scanning mode, we achieve a transverse ...

We present a non-invasive three-dimensional depth-resolved micro-structure and micro-vasculature imaging of a human fingernail-fold with a swept-source optical coherence tomography (ssOCT) system at a 1064 nm center wavelength. A phase variance OCT angiography (OCTA) method was implemented for motion contrast OCT imaging. A Fourier-domain mode-locked light source with an A-scan rate of 1.7 MHz (1 700 000 A-scans s −1 ) was utilized for imaging. The experimental setup demonstrates OCT and OCTA imaging with an area of ~5 mm   ×   5 mm (within the Nyquist limit). Details of the ssOCTA system such as system parameters, scanning protocols, acquisition time, challenges, and ...

Moisture content is an important feature of fruits and vegetables. As 80% of apple content is water, so decreasing the moisture content will degrade the quality of apples (Golden Delicious). The computational and texture features of the apples were extracted from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. A support vector machine with a Gaussian kernel model was used to perform automated classification. To evaluate the quality of wax coated apples during storage in vivo , our proposed method opens up the possibility of fully automated quantitative analysis based on the morphological features of apples. Our results demonstrate that the analysis of the ...

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an appealing technique for bio-imaging, medicine, and material analysis. For many applications, OCT in mid- and far-infrared (IR) leads to significantly more accurate results. Reported mid-IR OCT systems require light sources and photodetectors which operate in mid-IR range. These devices are expensive and need cryogenic cooling. Here, we report a proof-of-concept demonstration of a wavelength tunable IR OCT technique with detection of only visible range photons. Our method is based on the nonlinear interference of frequency correlated photon pairs. The nonlinear crystal, introduced in the Michelson-type interferometer, generates photon pairs with one photon in the ...

Dispersion-canceled optical coherence tomography (OCT) based on spectral intensity interferometry was devised as a classical counterpart of quantum OCT to enhance the basic performance of conventional OCT. In this paper, we demonstrate experimentally that an alternative method of realizing this kind of OCT by means of two optical fiber couplers and a single spectrometer is a more practical and reliable option than the existing methods proposed previously. Furthermore, we develop a recipe for reducing multiple artifacts simultaneously on the basis of simple averaging and verify experimentally that it works successfully in the sense that all the artifacts are mitigated effectively ...

Age-related Macular Degeneration is the most leading retinal disease in the recent years. Macular degeneration occurs when the central portion of the retina, called macula deteriorates. As the deterioration occurs with the age, it is commonly referred as Age-related Macular Degeneration. This disease can be visualized by several imaging modalities such as Fundus imaging technique, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) technique and many other. Optical Coherence Tomography is the widely used technique for screening the Age-related Macular Degeneration disease, because it has an ability to detect the very minute changes in the retina. The Healthy and AMD affected OCT images are ...

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a rapidly evolving, robust technology that has profoundly changed the practice of medical imaging. Swept source OCT (SSOCT) combines the standard time domain and the spatially encoded frequency domain OCT. We have employed a high-speed SSOCT system that utilizes a swept source laser with an A-scan rate of 100 kHz and a central wavelength of 1060 nm for the imaging of the tissue. SSOCT at 1060 nm allows for high penetration in the tissue. TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) are mostly used for various experimental purposes as an exogenous imaging contrast agent. The in vitro imaging ...

We report on a study to assess the feasibility of a swept source-based speckle variance optical coherence tomography setup for monitoring cutaneous microvasculature. Punch wounds created in the ear pinnae of diabetic mice were monitored at different times post wounding to assess the structural and vascular changes. It was observed that the epithelium thickness increases post wounding and continues to be thick even after healing. Also, the wound size assessed by vascular images is larger than the physical wound size. The results show that the developed speckle variance optical coherence tomography system can be used to monitor vascular regeneration during ...

We report the first fully automated detection of human skin burn injuries in vivo , with the goal of automatic surgical margin assessment based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. Our proposed automated procedure entails building a machine-learning-based classifier by extracting quantitative features from normal and burn tissue images recorded by OCT. In this study, 56 samples (28 normal, 28 burned) were imaged by OCT and eight features were extracted. A linear model classifier was trained using 34 samples and 22 samples were used to test the model. Sensitivity of 91.6% and specificity of 90% were obtained. Our results demonstrate ...

We present noninvasive three-dimensional depth-resolved imaging of animal tissue with a swept-source optical coherence tomography system at 1064 nm center wavelength and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a potential contrast agent. A swept-source laser light source is used to enable an imaging rate of 100 kHz (100 000 A-scans s −1 ). Swept-source optical coherence tomography is a new variant of the optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique, offering unique advantages in terms of sensitivity, reduction of motion artifacts, etc. To enhance the contrast of an OCT image, AgNPs are utilized as an exogeneous contrast agent. AgNPs are synthesized using a modified Tollens ...

Balanced reference-sample arm dispersion is critical in optical coherence tomography systems in order to attain images with the highest axial resolution. Here, an experimental method for the estimation and correction of dispersion in an optical coherence tomography system is presented. The system dispersion was computed from two optical coherence tomography images of the reference mirror that were symmetrically placed around the zero delay point. The method was tested using a broad bandwidth spectral domain optical coherence tomography system, compensating for the dispersion caused by a 3-mm-thick fused silica flat placed in the sample arm. Using our method, dispersion compensation was ...

In this paper we perform quantitative reconstruction of the electric susceptibility and the Grüneisen parameter of a non-magnetic linear dielectric medium using measurement of a multi-modal photoacoustic and optical coherence tomography system. We consider the mathematical model presented in Elbau et al (2015 Handbook of Mathematical Methods in Imaging ed O Scherzer (New York: Springer) pp 1169–204), where a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind for the Grüneisen parameter was derived. For the numerical solution of the integral equation we consider a Galerkin type method.

In situ measurements of diffusive particle transport provide insight into tissue architecture, drug delivery, and cellular function. Analogous to diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI), where the anisotropic diffusion of water molecules is mapped on the millimeter scale to elucidate the fibrous structure of tissue, here we propose diffusion-tensor optical coherence tomography (DT-OCT) for measuring directional diffusivity and flow of optically scattering particles within tissue. Because DT-OCT is sensitive to the sub-resolution motion of Brownian particles as they are constrained by tissue macromolecules, it has the potential to quantify nanoporous anisotropic tissue structure at micrometer resolution as relevant to extracellular matrices ...

The number of non-melanoma skin cancers is increasing worldwide and has become an important health and economic issue. Early detection and treatment of skin cancer can significantly improve patient outcome. Therefore there is an increase in the demand for proper management and effective non-invasive diagnostic modalities in order to avoid relapses or unnecessary treatments. Although the gold standard of diagnosis for non-melanoma skin cancers is biopsy followed by histopathology evaluation, optical non-invasive diagnostic tools have obtained increased attention. Emerging non-invasive or minimal invasive techniques with possible application in the diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancers include high-definition optical coherence tomography, fluorescence ...

Refractive index (RI) tomography based on not quantitative phase imaging (QPI) but optical coherence tomography (OCT) is proposed. In conventional RI tomography, the phase unwrapping process deteriorates measurement accuracy owing to the unwrapping error. To eliminate the unwrapping process, the introduction of OCT is proposed, because OCT directly provides optical thickness. The proposed method can improve measurement accuracy owing to the removal of the phase unwrapping error. The feasibility of the method is confirmed by numerical simulations and optical experiments. These results show that the proposed method can reduce measurement errors even when an object shows phase changes much larger ...

The efficiency of light scattering by nanoparticles formed using the method of picosecond laser ablation of silicon in water and by nanoparticles of mechanically grinded mesoporous silicon is compared. The ensembles of particles of both types possess the scattering coefficients sufficient to use them as contrast agents in optical coherence tomography (OCT), particularly in the range of wavelengths 700–1000 nm, where the absorption of both silicon and most biological and mimicking tissues is small. According to the Mie theory the main contribution to the scattering in this case is made by the particles having a relatively large size (150 ...

The complex conjugate ambiguity in Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FDOCT) is a major roadblock that prevents full-detector resolution for the depth scan in single shot operation for the individual A-scan. Current techniques to eliminate this problem involve changing the experimental set-up, usually complicating the OCT system. In this work we show that the standard FDOCT spectrum data when resampled appropriately can be cast exactly in terms of type-1 discrete cosine transform (DCT). Additionally, a sparse reconstruction method in the DCT domain enables image recovery with full-detector resolution, thus effectively doubling the depth scan resolution. In a realistic simulation study ...

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images are severely degraded by speckle noise. Existing methods for despeckling multiframe OCT data cannot deliver sufficient speckle suppression while preserving image details well. To address this problem, the spiking cortical model (SCM) based non-local means (NLM) method has been proposed in this letter. In the proposed method, the considered frame and two neighboring frames are input into three SCMs to generate the temporal series of pulse outputs. The normalized moment of inertia (NMI) of the considered patches in the pulse outputs is extracted to represent the rotational and scaling invariant features of the corresponding patches ...