基于光程编码与相干合成的三维超分辨术

光学相干层析成像的轴向分辨率和横向分辨率是互为独立的,其轴向分辨率由系统光源带宽和探测光束的聚焦条件共同决定,而横向分辨率由系统样品臂的聚焦条件决定. 提高光学相干层析成像的轴向分辨率的方法主要基于宽带光源技术以及变迹术与相干门相结合的方法,而这些方法对于横向分辨率并没有提高. 提出了一种通过光程编码与相干合成的方法,可以同时提高其轴向分辨率和横向分辨率. 通过在光学相干层析成像系统的样品臂中加入光程编码分束器形成多种对应不同光程延迟的有效响应函数,基于光学相干层析成像术固有的光程分辨能力可以得到同一样品对应于不同有效响应函数的多幅图像. 通过数字控制不同有效响应函数的相对贡献对其进行相干合成,可以同时实现轴向和横向的超分辨效果. 与以前的方法相比,光程编码与相干合成方法简单易行、成本低廉,不仅可以避免系统复杂和价格昂贵等不足,而且可以同时较大幅度地提高系统的轴向分辨率和横向分辨率. 关键词： 光学相干层析成像 轴向超分辨 横向超分辨 光程编码     

提高光学相干层析成像纵向分辨率的方法

光学相干层析成像技术是一种新型的成像技术，能实现对活体生物组织（透明和不透明）非接触、无伤害、高分辨率的体内断面成像。光学相干层析成像利用相干门技术，其纵向分辨率取决于光源的相干长度，要进一步提高它的纵向分辨率必须从光源入手，本文对采用不同光源提高光学相干层析成像纵向分辨率的方法进行了详细的讨论。     

双光栅快速扫描光学延迟线的色散补偿

光学相干层析成像(OCT)系统的纵向分辨力不仅与光源的带宽有关,而且与系统中两干涉臂间的色散匹配有关。如果色散没有得到精确匹配,将使光学相干层析成像系统的纵向分辨力达不到所预期的理论值。色散问题在超高分辨光学相干层析成像系统中尤为突出。提出了一种基于双光栅快速扫描光学延迟线(RSOD),用于光学相干层析成像系统的色散补偿。该方法中新增的光栅引入了光栅间距这一独立变量,其与常规单光栅快速扫描光学延迟线机构中的光栅离焦量一起,可使光学相干层析成像系统中的群速度色散(GVD)和三阶色散(TOD)同时得到补偿。分析了双光栅快速扫描光学延迟线的色散特性和色散调节原则,并提供了一个典型光学相干层析成像系统中的色散补偿实例。     

光学相干层析成像色散补偿研究

针对通过增加光源谱宽度来提高光学相干层析成像系统分辨率时样品色散特性的限制作用,分析了色散与光学相干层析成像系统纵向光程分辨率的约束关系.根据物质色散特性,采用数值变换方法对光学相干层析成像相干成像信号进行了色散补偿.实验使用了中心波长1 550 nm 自激发辐射光源和光纤迈克尓逊干涉结构,对水和光学快速扫描延迟线引入的二阶和三阶色散进行了数值补偿并通过相位修正因子来改善补偿效果.确定了一种普适的、快速的数值色散补偿方法.在对水中盖玻片和生物组织和的光学相干层析成像图像的色散补偿实验中取得了良好的效果,证明了方法的可行性.     

光学相干层析成像色散补偿研究

针对通过增加光源谱宽度来提高光学相干层析成像系统分辨率时样品色散特性的限制作用,分析了色散与光学相干层析成像系统纵向光程分辨率的约束关系.根据物质色散特性,采用数值变换方法对光学相干层析成像相干成像信号进行了色散补偿.实验使用了中心波长1550nm自激发辐射光源和光纤迈克尓逊干涉结构,对水和光学快速扫描延迟线引入的二阶和三阶色散进行了数值补偿并通过相位修正因子来改善补偿效果.确定了一种普适的、快速的数值色散补偿方法.在对水中盖玻片和生物组织和的光学相干层析成像图像的色散补偿实验中取得了良好的效果,证明了方法的可行性.     

光学相干层析成像轴向超分辨研究

为了提高光学相干层析成像(OCT)的轴向分辨率,采用OCT与光学超分辨术相结合的方法,设计了三区相位型和振幅型两种光瞳滤波器,并将制作的光瞳滤波器应用于系统的样品臂中,分别测量不同条件下对应的轴向响应曲线,结果与理论分析基本吻合,实现了轴向分辨率10％以上的提高,从而验证了利用合适光瞳滤波器实现OCT轴向超分辨的可行性.     

光源对相干层析系统特性的影响

在分析相干层析系统成像机理的基础上，从理论上研究了光源对系统成像特性的影响，在考虑干涉条纹的强度用概率函数处理的条件下，由分析得出相干层析成像系统相当于一个复振幅的线性空间不变系统，从而给出相干函数和光源的功率谱密度之间的关系。通过对使用不同光源的系统相干传递函数比较，得出了采用具有较大线宽的低相干光源，系统的空间分辨率更好，可使测量更精确的结论。本文的工作为光学相干层析成像系统的优化设计提供了理论依据。     

光纤型光学相干层析成像系统的研制

光学相干层析(OCT)成像技术是一新近发展的高分辨力生物医学成像手段,能非侵入性地对活体内部的结构与生理功能进行可视化观察。采用宽带近红外光源,基于迈克耳孙干涉原理和外差探测方法,建立了单模光纤型光学相干层析成像系统,相干地提取从生物体内部返回的深度分辨的弹性散射光信息,并依此构筑了自然状态下活体组织的二维光学相干层析成像图像和三维光学相干层析成像图像。光纤化设计的光学相干层析成像系统紧凑、灵活,便于与光纤导管、内窥镜和其它成像装置的有机结合,以拓展其观察范围和应用领域。     

使用改进型科勒照明系统的全场光学相干层析成像系统

研制了一套基于林尼克干涉仪结构的全场光学相干层析成像(FF-OCT)系统,以获得高质量的全场光学相干层析图像。不同于大多数FF-OCT系统所采用的光纤束照明方式,本系统采用卤素灯作为光源,搭建改进型科勒照明系统进行照明。选用Intel Pentium 4处理器芯片作为样品,对其内部结构进行了成像实验,通过四步移相算法根据四幅连续的相移干涉图像获得了样品的层析图像,实验结果证实了成像系统的可行性。使用改进型科勒照明系统的FF-OCT成像系统,与现有的FF-OCT系统相比,结构简单便于制作,且成本低廉,为实现高分辨率光学相干层析成像提供了简单易行的方法。     

用于频域光学相干层析成像的深度分辨色散补偿方法

提出一种深度分辨的色散补偿方法,用于增强频域光学相干层析成像的纵向分辨率。将频域光学相干层析成像采集的干涉谱信号傅里叶变换到空域,获取对应不同深度的干涉谱条纹相位,通过对其进行调整实现对被测样品不同深度处的色散的精确补偿。避免传统方法中采用统一色散系数进行色散补偿所带来的过补偿与欠补偿误差,可以有效消除色散引起的频域光学相干层析成像系统点扩展函数的展宽和扭曲。模拟和实验结果表明,基于深度分辨的色散补偿方法在样品的全深度探测范围内可以达到较佳的补偿效果,可有效提高光学相干层析成像系统的纵向分辨率。     

Ultra-High Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Using a Halogen Lamp as the Light Source

The axial resolution of optical coherence tomography (OCT) is determined by the coherence length of the light source. We demonstrate for the first time high-resolution OCT of biological tissue using a halogen lamp as the light source for a low coherence interferometer. High-resolution OCT imaging with 3.5 μm resolution was performed successfully for onion and porcine skin, although the coherence light power for illumination of a sample is as small as 100 nW.     

A combined multiple-SLED broadband light source at 1300 nm for high resolution optical coherence tomography

We demonstrate a compact, inexpensive, and reliable fiber-coupled light source with broad bandwidth and sufficient power at 1300 nm for high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging in real-time applications. By combining four superluminescent diodes (SLEDs) with different central wavelengths, the light source has a bandwidth of 145 nm centered at 1325 nm with over 10 mW of power. OCT images of an excised stage 30 embryonic chick heart acquired with our combined SLED light source (<5 μm axial resolution in tissue) are compared with images obtained with a single SLED source (∼10 μm axial resolution in tissue). The high resolution OCT system with the combined SLED light source provides better image quality (smaller speckle noise) and a greater ability to observe fine structures in the embryonic heart.     

Optical Coherence Tomography Implemented by Photonic Crystal Fiber

We report a photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, in which conventional single-mode fiber for the transmission line and the fiber coupler for the beam splitter/combiner are replaced with PCF and PCF coupler. The PCF coupler fabricated using the fused biconical tapered (FBT) method showed a nearly flat coupling ratio over a broad spectral bandwidth of 400 nm, which provided an axial resolution of 3-μm for OCT imaging. With a white-light source, the 8-μm thick air gap between two stacked cover glasses was measured, and with a conventional superluminecent diode (SLD) source, the in vitro images of rat eye and Misgurnus mizolepis skin were successfully obtained. The PCF and PCF coupler might enable a white-light as the source for the cost effective and high-resolution OCT system.     

Compact,low-cost Ti:Al2O3 laser for in vivo ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography

A compact, low-cost, prismless Ti:Al2O3 laser with 176-nm bandwidth (FWHM) and 20-mW output power was developed. Ultrahigh-resolution ophthalmic optical coherence tomography (OCT) ex vivo imaging in an animal model with approximately 1.2-microm axial resolution and in vivo imaging in patients with macular pathologies with approximately 3-microm axial resolution were demonstrated. Owing to the pump laser, this light source significantly reduces the cost of broadband OCT systems. Furthermore, the source has great potential for clinical application of spectroscopic and ultrahigh-resolution OCT because of its small footprint (500 mm x 180 mm including the pump laser), user friendliness, stability, and reproducibility.     

Improved extended depth of focus full field spectral domain Optical Coherence Tomography

In Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), both high axial and lateral resolutions are desired. While axial (z-axis) resolution is achieved by a broadband source, lateral (x-y axes) resolution is achieved by high NA lenses. However, high NA objectives result in decreased depth of focus (DOF). The small DOF makes it difficult to obtain single shot imaging of biological samples having large lateral dimension. In this work we incorporate special interfering phase mask allowing to extend the DOF of an OCT system and to allow imaging of samples without axial scanning.     

低相干光断层扫描系统的噪声分析与研究

低相干光断层扫描,是近十几年来发展起来集多种前沿科学和技术为一体的超高精度成像技术。介绍了该技术的理论原理及本实验室建立的基于时域线性调制和光纤迈克耳孙干涉仪的低相干光断层扫描系统并给出了初步的实验结果。重点对光源谱型和参考臂扫描速度不均匀性对系统输出信噪比的影响进行了理论模拟计算和实验研究。通过运用傅里叶频谱的分析方法,从工程设计的角度出发给出了基于实验结果的参量特性分析以及这些特性将会给实际光学相干层析系统测量结果带来的影响,从而获得了低相干光断层扫描系统改进的方法。     

Micromotor endoscope catheter for in vivo, ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography

A distally actuated, rotational-scanning micromotor endoscope catheter probe is demonstrated for ultrahigh-resolution in vivo endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. The probe permits focus adjustment for visualization of tissue morphology at varying depths with improved transverse resolution compared with standard OCT imaging probes. The distal actuation avoids nonuniform scanning motion artifacts that are present with other probe designs and can permit a wider range of imaging speeds. Ultrahigh-resolution endoscopic imaging is demonstrated in a rabbit with <4-microm axial resolution by use of a femtosecond Cr:forsterite laser light source. The micromotor endoscope catheter probe promises to improve OCT imaging performance in future endoscopic imaging applications.