In vivo three-dimensional spectral domain endoscopic optical coherence tomography using a microelectromechanical system mirror

A biopsy is a well-known medical test used to evaluate tissue abnormality. Biopsy specimens are invasively taken from part of a lesion and visualized by microscope after chemical treatment. However, diagnosis by means of biopsy is not only variable due to depth and location of specimen but may also damage the specimen. In addition, only a limited number of specimens can be obtained, thus, the entire tissue morphology cannot be observed. We introduce a three-dimensional (3-D) endoscopic optical biopsy via optical coherence tomography employing a dual-axis microelectromechanical system scanning mirror. Since this technique provides high-resolution, noninvasive, direct, and multiple visualization of tissue, it could function as a clinical biopsy with advanced performance. The device was integrated with a conventional endoscope and utilized to generate in vivo 3-D clinical images in humans and animals.     

Rotary mirror array for high-speed optical coherence tomography

We have developed a simple, high-speed, high-duty-cycle, linear optical delay line suitable for optical coherence tomography and optical Doppler tomography. Periodic longitudinal scanning is achieved by use of a tilted mirror array rotating at a constant speed. With a typical motor speed of 4000 rpm, our system has demonstrated a 2-mm axial scanning range, a 2400-Hz repetition rate, 94% duty cycle, and less than 0.1% nonlinear errors. Much higher repetition rates can be readily achieved by use of high-speed motors.     

Electrostatic micromachine scanning mirror for optical coherence tomography

Compact electrostatic micromirror structures for use in the scanning arm of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system are described. These devices consist of millimeter-scale mirrors resting upon micrometer-scale polyimide hinges that are tilted by a linear micromachine actuator, the integrated force array (IFA). The IFA is a network of deformable capacitor cells that electrostatically contract with an applied voltage. The support structures, hinges, and actuators are fabricated by photolithography from polyimide-upon-silicon wafers. These devices were inserted into the scanning arm of an experimental OCT imaging system to produce in vitro and in vivo images at frame rates of 4 to 8 Hz.     

In vivo endoscopic optical coherence tomography by use of a rotational microelectromechanical system probe

A novel endoscopic optical coherence tomography probe was designed and constructed with a 1.9-mm microelectromechanical system (MEMS) motor. The new MEMS endoscopic probe design eliminates the need to couple the rotational energy from the proximal to the distal end of the probe. Furthermore, the endoscopic probe's sheath and fiber have the advantages of having a much smaller diameter and being more flexible than traditional endoscopes since no reinforcement is needed to couple the rotational torque. At the distal end, a prism mounted on a micromotor deflects the light rays to create a transverse circular-scanning pathway. Because our MEMS scanner does not require the coupling of a rotational single-mode fiber, a high scanning speed is possible while eliminating unstable optical signals caused by nonuniform coupling.     

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.     

Doppler optical coherence tomography with a micro-electro-mechanical membrane mirror for high-speed dynamic focus tracking

An elliptical microelectromechanical system (MEMS) membrane mirror is electrostatically actuated to dynamically adjust the optical beam focus and track the axial scanning of the coherence gate in a Doppler optical coherence tomography (DOCT) system at 8 kHz. The MEMS mirror is designed to maintain a constant numerical aperture of approximately 0.13 and a spot size of approximately 6.7 microm over an imaging depth of 1mm in water, which improves imaging performance in resolving microspheres in gel samples and Doppler shift estimation precision in a flow phantom. The mirror's small size (1.4 mm x 1 mm) will allow integration with endoscopic MEMS-DOCT for in vivo applications.     

Simultaneous dual-wavelength-band common-path swept-source optical coherence tomography with single polygon mirror scanner

We report a novel (to the best of our knowledge) simultaneous 1310/1550 two-wavelength band swept laser source and dual-band common-path swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Synchronized dual-wavelength tuning is performed by using two laser cavities and narrowband wavelength filters with a single dual-window polygonal scanner. Measured average output powers of 60 and 27 mW have been achieved for the 1310 and 1550 nm bands, respectively, while the two wavelengths were swept simultaneously from 1227 to 1387 nm for the 1310 nm band and from 1519 to 1581 nm for the 1550 nm band at an A-scan rate of 65 kHz. Broadband wavelength-division multiplexing is used for coupling two wavelengths into a common-path single-mode GRIN-lensed fiber probe to form dual-band common-path SS-OCT. Simultaneous OCT imaging at 1310 and 1550 nm is achieved. This technique allows for in vivo high-speed OCT imaging with potential application in functional (spectroscopic) investigations.     

Miniaturized probe based on a microelectromechanical system mirror for multiphoton microscopy

A factor that limits the use of multiphoton microscopy (MPM) in clinical and preclinical studies is the lack of a compact and flexible probe. We report on a miniaturized MPM probe employing a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror and a double-clad photonic crystal fiber (DCPCF). The use of a MEMS mirror and a DCPCF provides many advantages, such as size reduction, rapid and precise scanning, efficient delivery of short pulses, and high collection efficiency of fluorescent signals. The completed probe was 1 cm in outer diameter and 14 cm in length. The developed probe was integrated into an MPM system and used to image fluorescent beads, paper, and biological specimens.     

基于LabVIEW的光学相干层析成像控制系统

 为了实现对光学相干层析成像系统的实时自动监控,在光学相干层析成像技术的基础上以LabVIEW为开发平台,设计调试了一套生物组织光学特性测量的控制系统。该系统主要包括参考臂驱动程序模块和数据采集卡的数据采集程序模块,各模块既相互独立又有机地组成一个整体。使用该系统对不同浓度的Intralipid组织模拟液进行了测量,实验结果表明模拟液的散射系数可靠,而且系统具有开发周期短、成本低、维护简单、可移植性强等特点。     

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.     

Fiber-optic-bundle-based optical coherence tomography

A fiber-optic-bundle-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe method is presented. The experimental results demonstrate this multimode optical fiber-bundle-based OCT system can achieve a lateral resolution of 12 microm and an axial resolution of 10 microm with a superluminescent diode source. This novel OCT imaging approach eliminates any moving parts in the probe and has a primary advantage for use in extremely compact and safe OCT endoscopes for imaging internal organs and great potential to be combined with confocal endoscopic microscopy.     

Spectroscopic optical coherence tomography

Spectroscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT), an extension of conventional OCT, is demonstrated for performing cross-sectional tomographic and spectroscopic imaging. Information on the spectral content of backscattered light is obtained by detection and processing of the interferometric OCT signal. This method allows the spectrum of backscattered light to be measured over the entire available optical bandwidth simultaneously in a single measurement. Specific spectral features can be extracted by use of digital signal processing without changing the measurement apparatus. An ultrabroadband femtosecond Ti:Al(2)O(3) laser was used to achieve spectroscopic imaging over the wavelength range from 650 to 1000 nm in a simple model as well as in vivo in the Xenopus laevis (African frog) tadpole. Multidimensional spectroscopic data are displayed by use of a novel hue-saturation false-color mapping.     

Holoscopy--holographic optical coherence tomography

Scanning optical coherence tomography (OCT) is limited in sensitivity and resolution by the restricted focal depth of the confocal detection scheme. Holoscopy, a combination of holography and Fourier-domain full-field OCT, is proposed as a way to detect photons from all depths of a sample volume simultaneously with uniform sensitivity and lateral resolution, even at high NAs. By using the scalar diffraction theory, as frequently applied in digital holographic imaging, we fully reconstruct the object field with depth-invariant imaging quality. In vivo imaging of human skin is demonstrated with an image quality comparable to conventionally scanned OCT.     

宽场光学相干断层成像系统的三维显微成像

宽场相干断层成像技术（WFOCT）具有提高OCT系统的扫描速率和实现高分辨率的三维显微技术等优点,成为当前研究的热点。本文阐述了WFOCT的基本原理,利用八步移相法重建出玻璃物体微细结构的断层图像,研究了宽场OCT系统对玻璃材料的纵向分辨率和探测深度,其中探测深度可达3.3 mm。在获得多幅断层图像的基础上,利用VC6.0和OpenGL混合编程,采用移动立方体（MC）算法重建出玻璃物体微细结构的三维图像。实验结果表明,WFOCT系统不但能够在生物组织检测等医学方面得到应用,而且对反射率较高的物体能够完成三维形貌显微成像探测和深度探测。     

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。     

Tracking optical coherence tomography

An experimental tracking optical coherence tomography (OCT) system has been clinically tested. The prototype instrument uses a secondary sensing beam and steering mirrors to compensate for eye motion with a closed-loop bandwidth of 1 kHz and tracking accuracy, to within less than the OCT beam diameter. The retinal tracker improved image registration accuracy to <1 transverse pixel (<60 microm). Composite OCT images averaged over multiple scans and visits show a sharp fine structure limited only by transverse pixel size. As the resolution of clinical OCT systems improves, the capability to reproducibly map complex structures in the living eye at high resolution will lead to improved understanding of disease processes and improved sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic procedures.     

Two-wavelength optical coherence tomography

We present the results of studies of the basic principles and describe the design of a low-coherence two-wavelength interferometer based on polarization-maintaining fiber. The interferometer was developed for optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of the internal structure of living biological tissue simultaneously at two wavelengths, 830 and 1300 nm. Images of several sites of living biological tissue are presented and analyzed.     

Fast-scanning two-photon fluorescence imaging based on a microelectromechanical systems two- dimensional scanning mirror

Towards overcoming the size limitations of conventional two-photon fluorescence microscopy, we introduce two-photon imaging based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanners. Single crystalline silicon scanning mirrors that are 0.75 mm x 0.75 mm in size and driven in two dimensions by microfabricated vertical comb electrostatic actuators can provide optical deflection angles through a range of approximately16 degrees . Using such scanners we demonstrated two-photon microscopy and microendoscopy with fast-axis acquisition rates up to 3.52 kHz.     

Swept source optical coherence tomography based on non-uniform discrete fourier transform

A high-speed high-sensitivity swept source optical coherence tomography （SSOCT） system using a high speed swept laser source is developed. Non-uniform discrete fourier transform （NDFT） method is introduced in the SSOCT system for data processing. Frequency calibration method based on a Mach-Zender interferometer （MZI） and conventional data interpolation method is also adopted in the system for comparison. Optical coherence tomography （OCT） images from SSOCT based on the NDFT method, the MZI method, and the interpolation method are illustrated. The axial resolution of the SSOCT based on the NDFT method is comparable to that of the SSOCT system using MZI calibration method and conventional data interpolation method. The SSOCT system based on the NDFT method can achieve higher signal intensity than that of the system based on the MZI calibration method and conventional data interpolation method because of the better utilization of the power of source.     

Time-gated Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography

A novel optical coherence tomography (OCT) system is presented that combines Fourier-domain OCT with incoherent nonlinear time gating. By processing backscattered light in the optical domain, the user can select a restricted depth field of view for improved contrast and acquisition speed. This technique has the additional advantage that imaging is done in the infrared (approximately 1280 nm) but is detected in the visible(approximately 504 nm).