频域OCT的背向散射率补偿

针对频域OCT中背向散射光的强度随探测深度加深而急剧减弱,从而导致最后的组织成像模糊不清的现象,提出了一种对不同探测深度图像灰度补偿的方法。该方法通过补偿样品每层析面的入射光功率与背向功率散射率,来得到样品每层析面图像的真实灰度,提高了OCT图像质量。以理想的、由多层均匀介质组成的组织模型为基础,深入剖析了影响深度图像灰度的主要因素。通过建立以多层盖玻片为被测物体的频域OCT系统,得到多层盖玻片的深度图像。在对以盖玻片为被测物体的前提下,得出逐层深度图像灰度补偿的公式。并将理论补偿和实验系统的复杂情况相结合,对深度灰度图像进行入射和出射光强的补偿。实验结果证明这种补偿法是一种有效可行的补偿方法。     

基于平稳小波变换的时域光学相干层析系统

以平衡检测原理为基础,利用中心波长为700 nm的宽带低相干白光光源,在自由空间中搭建了分辨率为0.93 m的基于平稳小波变换（SWT）的时域光学相干层析（TDOCT）系统,并将其应用于塑料薄片与透明胶纸多层薄膜结构的无损评价。针对现有算法重构效果不够理想的问题,通过对OCT成像过程中的图像增强手段的对比,提出利用SWT分解算法处理多层薄膜结构的光学相干层析二维图像。由薄膜检测的实验结果可知,从SWT细节系数中可以提取更显著的多层薄膜界面干涉信号,从而提高多层薄膜界面的增强效果。     

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.     

Substance identification by depth resolved spectroscopic pattern reconstruction in frequency domain optical coherence tomography

We analyze a method to extract additional depth resolved spectroscopic information from frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FDOCT) data. The reconstruction of depth resolved spectra is obtained by a Fourier transform of the individual peaks in the complex FDOCT depth profiles. We demonstrate a validation of this concept with theoretical simulations and with accurate experimental studies on a multilayer sample with four different characteristic absorbers. The spatially resolved spectroscopic patterns of all individual sample layers are calculated from the depth resolved reconstructed spectra. With an additional pattern recognition algorithm, these reconstructed patterns are compared automatically to the spectral characteristics of the expected substances. This provides an allocation of the reconstructed spectra to the substances with high reliability. Thus, we present an automated substance identification directly from conventional FDOCT data, which increases significantly the information content of the image.     

Linear optical coherence tomography system with a downconverted fringe pattern

Linear optical coherence tomography (LOCT) systems are a simple and robust alternative to time-domain optical coherence tomography systems, but a detector with approximately 10(4) pixels is needed for an imaging depth of 2 mm. We present a new system for LOCT with a special mask attached to the image sensor. The mask essentially performs a downconversion of the spatial frequencies by multiplication with a second spatial frequency. This reduces the fringe frequency of the optical coherence tomography signal so that the signal can be sampled with fewer pixels.     

Complex ambiguity-free Fourier domain optical coherence tomography through transverse scanning

We introduce a simple and cheap method for phase-shifting Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FDOCT) that does not need additional devices and can easily be implemented. A small beam offset at the fast beam-scanning mirror introduces a causal phase shift, which can be used for B-scan-based complex image reconstruction. We derive the conditions for optimal conjugate suppression and demonstrate the method on human skin in vivo for spectrometer-based FDOCT operating at 1300 nm employing a handheld scanner.     

Second-harmonic optical coherence tomography

Second-harmonic optical coherence tomography, which uses coherence gating of second-order nonlinear optical responses of biological tissues for imaging, is described and demonstrated. Femtosecond laser pulses were used to excite second-harmonic waves from collagen harvested from rat tail tendon and a reference non-linear crystal. Second-harmonic interference fringe signals were detected and used for image construction. Because of the strong dependence of second-harmonic generation on molecular and tissue structures, this technique imparts contrast and resolution enhancement to conventional optical coherence tomography.     

多面转镜激光器扫频光学相干层析成像系统的全光谱重采样方法

在多面转镜激光器扫频光学相干层析成像系统中,激光器存在着输出光谱错位与扫频范围波动的问题.目前的重采样方法中,普遍利用互相关运算校正光谱错位,并进行大范围的截取,保证扫频范围的一致性,但这会导致成像信噪比与分辨率的降低.本文用马赫-曾德尔干涉仪(MZI)采集到的干涉信号对扫频范围波动的问题进行了详细的测量与分析,其中干涉信号的解缠相位曲线的非随机性和平行性,表明该类激光器输出光谱的波长分布具备一致性.在此基础上,提出了一种用最长扫频范围的MZI干涉信号,对样品干涉信号进行时域光谱对齐、然后进行一对多插值的重采样方法.实验与分析表明,该方法利用了所有的光谱信号,保证了样品干涉信号的能量利用率,能有效提高图像的信噪比与分辨率.     

基于受激辐射信号的谱域光学相干层析分子成像方法

鉴于不同生理病理状态下组织复折射率实部的变化不大,传统光学相干层析(OCT)成像技术在分子特异性识别上存在先天不足.为此,本文提出了基于受激辐射信号的OCT成像方法,可在实现传统散射成像的同时,实现基于受激辐射信号的分子成像.在超高分辨率谱域OCT系统的基础上,通过增设光谱分光与调制抽运光支路,建立了基于单宽谱光源的抽运探测谱域OCT系统,详细推导了调制抽运下受激辐射信号的获取与成像公式.利用搭建的抽运探测谱域OCT系统,实现了瞬态受激辐射信号的相干探测.基于同时获取的受激辐射OCT信号和传统OCT信号,成功重构了氮化物粉末构建样品的基于受激辐射信号的分子对比OCT图像.     

Real-time, high velocity-resolution color Doppler optical coherence tomography

Color Doppler optical coherence tomography (CDOCT) is a noninvasive optical imaging technique for micrometer-scale physiological flow mapping simultaneously with morphological optical coherence tomography imaging. We have developed a novel CDOCT signal-processing strategy capable of imaging physiological flow rates at 8 frames/s. Our new strategy features hardware-implemented digital autocorrelation across subsequent scans, permitting us to measure 300-Hz-8-kHz Doppler shifts upon signals of 0.6-MHz bandwidth. The performance of the CDOCT system was demonstrated in a flow phantom and in vivo in Xenopus laevis.     

Fourier domain optical coherence tomography using optical demultiplexers imaging at 60,000,000 lines/s

We describe high-speed Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) using optical demultiplexers (ODs) for spectral dispersion. The OD enables separation of a narrow spectral band of 14 GHz (0.11 nm) from a broadband incident light at 256 different frequencies in 25.0 GHz intervals centered at 192.2 THz (1559.8 nm). OCT imaging of 60,000,000 axial scans per second was achieved through parallel signal acquisition using 256 balanced photoreceivers to simultaneously detect all the output signals from the ODs in a Fourier domain OCT system. OCT imaging at a 16 kHz frame rate, 1100 A-lines per frame, 3 mm depth range, and 23 microm resolution was demonstrated using a resonant scanner for lateral scanning.     

Optoacoustic imaging with synthetic aperture focusing and coherence weighting

Optoacoustic imaging takes advantage of high optical contrast and low acoustic scattering and has found several biomedical applications. In the common backward mode a laser beam illuminates the image object, and an acoustic transducer located on the same side as the laser beam detects the optoacoustic signal produced by thermoelastic effects. A cross-sectional image is formed by laterally scanning the laser beam and the transducer. Although the laser beam width is generally narrow to provide good lateral resolution, strong optical scattering in tissue broadens the optical illumination pattern and thus degrades the lateral resolution. To solve this problem, a combination of the synthetic aperture focusing technique with coherence weighting is proposed. This method synthesizes a large aperture by summing properly delayed signals received at different positions. The focusing quality is further improved by using the signal coherence as an image quality index. A phantom comprising hair threads in a 1% milk solution was imaged with an optoacoustic imaging system. The results show that the proposed technique improved lateral resolution by 400-800% and the signal-to-noise ratio by 7-23 dB over conventional techniques.     

Fourier domain optical coherence tomography with a linear-in-wavenumber spectrometer

We describe Fourier domain optical coherence tomography equipped with a novel linear-in-wavenumber spectrometer. The presented device linearizes the spectral dispersion of the spectrometer in wavenumber using a specifically designed prism. The spectral linearity in wavenumber makes numerical interpolation into wavenumber unnecessary, reduces computing time, and furthermore results in improvement of the falloff of signal with image range inherent to frequency-domain optical coherence tomography imaging. Experiments demonstrate the improvement of the falloff and agree with the expected results from simulation.     

Dual-core ytterbium fiber amplifier for high-power 1060 nm swept source multichannel optical coherence tomography imaging

A novel (to our knowledge) dual-core ytterbium (Yb(3+)) doped fiber, as an optically pumped amplifier, boosts the output power from a 1060 nm swept source laser beyond 250 mW, while providing a wavelength tuning range of 93 nm, for optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. The design of the dual-core Yb-doped fiber amplifier and its multiple wavelength optical pumping scheme to optimize output bandwidth are discussed. Use of the dual-core fiber amplifier showed no appreciable degradation to the coherence length of the seed laser. The signal intensity improvement of this amplifier is demonstrated on a multichannel in vivo OCT imaging system at 1060 nm.     

Confocal enhanced optical coherence tomography for nondestructive evaluation of paints and coatings

We investigate confocal enhanced optical coherence tomography as a nondestructive evaluation tool for imaging with improved image contrast and depth resolution through a highly scattering paint layer. The depth responses provided by confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, and confocal enhanced optical coherence tomography for imaging through paint are investigated. We demonstrate that a new combination of confocal microscopy and optical coherence tomography provides significantly improved resolution and contrast for coherence gated imaging of substrate structures under the paint.     

Phase-shifting algorithm to achieve high-speed long-depth-range probing by frequency-domain optical coherence tomography

Standard Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FDOCT) suffers from the presence of autocorrelation terms that obscure the object information and degrade the sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio. By exploiting the phase information of the recorded interferograms, it is possible to remove those autocorrelation terms and to double the measurement range. However, standard phase-retrieval algorithms need three to five interferograms. We present a novel technique that shows all the features of complex FDOCT with only two recorded interferograms.     

Interstitial Doppler optical coherence tomography

Doppler optical coherence tomography (OCT) can image tissue structure and blood flow at micrometer-scale resolution but has limited imaging depth. We report a novel, linear-scanning, needle-based Doppler OCT system using angle-polished gradient-index or ball-lensed fibers. A prototype system with a 19-guage (diameter of approximately 0.9 mm) echogenic needle is constructed and demonstrates in vivo imaging of bidirectional blood flow in rat leg and abdominal cavity. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of Doppler OCT through a needle probe in interstitial applications to visualize deeply situated microcirculation.     

A fiber-based single-unit dual-mode optical Imaging system: Swept source optical coherence tomography and fluorescence spectroscopy

We propose a fiber optic single-unit but dual-mode optical imaging system that can provide fast cross-sectional imaging capabilities of swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and functional capabilities of fluorescence spectroscopy (FS). By adopting a fiber optic FS system into a fiber-based SS-OCT system, a compact and effective multimodal single-unit SSOCT-FS system is achieved. Here, the key element of the proposed multimodal imaging system is a specially designed fiber coupler based on double-clad fiber (DCF), which has only cladding-mode coupling capability. The DCF couplers are fabricated with home-drawn DCF by several fabrication methods; a twisting method, a side-polishing method and a fused biconical tapered (FBT) method. Experimentally, the FBT method provides rather flat cladding mode coupling efficiency over 40% in a wide wavelength range. With this specially designed DCF coupler, the OCT signal and the fluorescence signal is measured independently but with a single-unit system. The performance of the SSOCT-FS system is confirmed by measuring the cross-sectional image and the fluorescence signal of a photosensitizer chlorin e6 injected in-vivo rat tumor model.     

Method for suppressing the mirror image in Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography

A method, novel to our knowledge, for effective mirror image suppression in Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography based on a phase shift between neighboring A-mode scans is demonstrated. By realizing that the phase shifts of the real and mirror images are mutually reversed and assuming that the real image intensities of the two successive A-mode scans are the same, we can solve a set of two coupled equations to obtain the real image signals. The images based on the scanning of a high-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography system are processed to show effective mirror image suppression results. Compared with a similar method of broad application, our approach has the advantages of shorter process time and higher flexibility in selecting the concerned image portions for processing.     

Multiple-scattering speckle in holographic optical coherence imaging

We investigate the effect of multiple scattering on the image quality of holographic optical coherence imaging, which is a full-field coherence-domain imaging form of optical coherence tomography. The speckle holograms from turbid media and from multicellular tumor spheroids are characterized by high-contrast speckle on a multiply-scattered background caused by channel cross-talk. We quantify the multiple-scattered light that is accepted by the holographic coherence gate, and identify a cross-over from single-scattered to multiple-scattered light beyond 15 to 20 optical thicknesses. Speckle reduction relies on vibrating diffusers and on fast adaptive holograms in photorefractive quantum well devices. The high anisotropy factor for tumor tissue reduces multiply-scattered light contributions for biomedical tumor imaging.