Skin layer detection of optical coherence tomography images

In this paper, we present an image processing algorithm to automatically and more precisely detect the boundary between the main skin layers: stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis. The aim of the proposed skin layer detection algorithm is to assist the dermatologists to measure the epidermal thickness (ET) for skin diseases diagnosis and also to assist pharmacologists so that they can make a better decision for prescribing according to the advancement of the skin disorders characterized with ET change.     

Real-time monitoring of structural vibration using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

We report in this paper the development of a spectral-domain optical coherence vibration tomography (OCVT) using a broadband CCD-based spectrometer and a short-coherence white light source. We demonstrate that both the vibration amplitude and frequency can be quantified, in the frequency range 0-250 Hz, with an axial resolution of 1 μm. Furthermore, the inner structure (layer thickness) of a vibrating sample can also be quantified simultaneously. The developed OCVT is non-contact and noninvasive in nature, thus is ideal for real time and in situ monitoring of low-frequency micro-vibrations that have critical impacts on many high-precision manufacturing and engineering processes.     

Attenuation compensation for optical coherence tomography imaging

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive technique that provides micrometer-scale imaging of tissue. As most biological tissues are considered turbid, it causes attenuation of the OCT signal and limits the depth penetration. Although a few algorithms had been developed to compensate the attenuation, almost all of them need to extract the scattering parameters before doing the compensation procedure. Because the real biological samples are anisotropic and multilayer-like structure, it is not time-efficient to model and solve these scattering parameters. This paper introduces a new method to compensate the OCT signal attenuation in depth. By analyzing the input signal, a compensation function is adaptively derived for each A-scan line, which can be used effectively to compensate the energy loss in the large sections and enhance the details in the deep, dark-like areas. Three bio-samples, a piece of onion, a Poecilia Wingei fish and a piece of rabbit abdominal aorta, were used to test our method. OCT images obtained by a swept-source OCT system were processed by the proposed method. Results show the visualization of structures in OCT images has been evidently improved, especially in deep region.     

Non-destructive quantification of pharmaceutical tablet coatings using terahertz pulsed imaging and optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI) are two powerful techniques allowing high quality cross-sectional images from within scattering media to be obtained non-destructively. In this paper, we report experimental results of using OCT and TPI for quantitatively characterizing pharmaceutical tablet coatings in the thickness range of 10-140 μm. We found that the spectral OCT system developed in-house has an axial resolution of 0.9 μm, and is capable of quantifying very thin coatings in the range of 10-60 μm. The upper limit of 60 μm within the tablet coating and core is owed to the strong scattering of OCT light, which has relatively short wavelengths in the range of 0.5-1.0 μm. On the other hand, TPI utilizes terahertz radiation that has substantially long wavelengths in the range of hundreds of microns, and thus is less prone to the scattering problem. Consequently TPI has been demonstrated to be able to quantify thicker coatings in the range of 40-140 μm and beyond. We concluded that OCT and TPI are two complementary analytical techniques for non-destructive and quantitative characterization of pharmaceutical tablet coatings.     

High performance wavelength-swept laser with mode-locking technique for optical coherence tomography

We demonstrate a Fourier-domain mode-locked wavelength-swept laser that uses a polygon-based narrowband optical scanning filter and a high-efficiency semiconductor optical amplifier. Peak and average output powers of 98 mW and 71 mW have been achieved, respectively, without an external amplifier, while the wavelength was swept continuously from 1247 nm to 1360 nm. A unidirectional wavelength sweeping rate of 7452 nm/ms (65.95 kHz repetition rate) was achieved by using a 72 facet polygon scanner with a rotation rate of 916 revolutions per second. The instantaneous linewidth of this laser is 0.09 nm, which corresponds to a coherence length of 16 mm. This laser is most suitable for optical coherence tomography applications.     

Film thickness measurement and defect inspection using optical coherence tomography

An optical sensing technology based on optical coherence tomography is presented for film thickness measurement and defect inspection. In order to improve the imaging quality, a simple interference spectrum processing procedure is proposed to eliminate the DC and the autocorrelation noise. With the proposed method, we obtain high quality one-dimensional depth and two-dimensional cross-sectional images of the films. Then, the thickness and the defect information of the film can be obtained from the acquired images. The experiment result demonstrates that this nondestructive imaging technique is applicable for measuring film thickness and inspecting defects.     

Contrast enhancement of optical coherence tomography images using least squares fitting and histogram matching

A method of contrast enhancement of optical coherence tomography (OCT) images based on least squares fitting and histogram matching is presented. Several different functions are adopted as the probability density functions of the gray levels to fit the normalized histogram of an OCT image and histogram matching is used to enhance the OCT image automatically. The effectiveness of the method is proved by the experimental results.     

Enhancement of imaging depth and definition for optical coherence tomography by using sodium chloride agent

Sodium chloride (NaCl) water solution of different concentrations has been applied to human fingers to improve the imaging depth and the definition of optical coherence tomography images. It is found that the saturated NaCl solution of 36% concentration leads to the most effective enhancement, which is observable 1 min after the agent is applied to a sample surface. In contrast, for unsaturated NaCl agent of less than 30% concentration, both imaging depth and imaging definition first decrease for the initial few minutes and then increase. In general, reduction of NaCl concentration results in not only less enhancement of image quality but also longer leading time for the effect to be seen than that with saturated solution.     

Quadrature fringes wide-field optical coherence tomography and its applications to biological tissues

We propose and demonstrate quadrature fringes wide-field optical coherence tomography (QF WF OCT) to expand an optical Hilbert transformation to two-dimensions. This OCT simultaneously measures two quadrature interference images using a single InGaAs CCD camera to obtain en face OCT images. The axial and lateral resolutions are measured at 29 μm in air and 70 μm limited by a pixel size of camera using a superluminescent diode with a wavelength of 1.3 μm as the light source; the system sensitivity is determined to be −90 dB. The area of the en face OCT images is 4.0 mm × 4.0 mm (160 × 160  pixels). The OCT images are measured axially with steps of 10 μm. The en face OCT images of a in vivo human fingertip and a in situ rat brain are three-dimensionally measured up to the depth of about 3 mm with some degradations of a lateral resolution.     

Fiber type of optical coherence tomography with an auto-focus device

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel technique for non-invasive imaging based on low coherence interferometer. In this study, we develop a new optical fiber type of OCT with a commercial auto-focus device to simultaneously measure the refractive index and thickness of a single-layer for demonstration. An auto-focus device can be easily implemented into the new OCT in order to diminish the measurement error resulting from the slight vibration of the sample and/or the sample stage. However, if the conventional OCT is implemented with an auto-focus device, it would be extremely difficult in locating and controlling the positions of the sample and scanning stages.From the experimental results, the error percentage from various frequency of the simulated noise is almost under 0.4%. Due to the resonance frequency of a DVD pickup head is around 40 Hz, the error percentage is apparently highest up to 1%; however still acceptable. It is concluded that the auto-focus device indeed works in an OCT system.     

Simultaneous measurement of flow velocity and Doppler angle by the use of Doppler optical coherence tomography

Monitoring blood flow velocity could have great value for biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. One of current restrictions to determine flow velocity by the use of Doppler optical coherence tomography (Doppler OCT) is that the Doppler angle should be predefined. However, from a practical point of view, it is not easy to predetermine Doppler angle for a flow beneath the tissue surface. In this work, a novel method for measuring both flow velocity and Doppler angle simultaneously by the use of Doppler OCT is proposed and demonstrated. Based on Doppler spectrum analysis, this technique measures both longitudinal and transverse components of flow velocity by detecting its Doppler shift and Doppler bandwidth to determine velocity and Doppler angle simultaneously. Such a technique extends flow velocity measurement into a broadening practical use of Doppler OCT where Doppler angle would not need to be predefined, for example, blood flow beneath the tissue surface. Therefore, with this technique, Doppler OCT could be applied to more practical diagnoses of microcirculation.     

光学相干层析信号的模拟分析与计算

对传统的模拟介质散射响应函数的蒙特卡罗算法的计算过程进行了改进，提出光子不可分割的假设，这样可以避免人为选定光子被吸收阈值的不确定性；同时采用双曲线法模拟入射高斯光束，解决了对表面为非平面介质的传输信号进行模拟的问题.通过对盖玻片（平面）与眼角膜（曲面）的光学相干层析探测信号及层析图的数值模拟，并与相应实验结果进行比较，证实了该方法与假设的可行性. 关键词： 光学相干层析 蒙特卡罗法模拟 散射     

A new spectral calibration method for Fourier domain optical coherence tomography

Spectral calibration is important for a Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) system. A new spectral calibration method for FD-OCT is presented. Through the iterated mapping of spectral interferograms detected by an optical spectrum analyzer and the CCD grating spectrometer, multiple groups of calibration coefficients are obtained. By comparing the effects of these coefficients on improving the amplitude of the axial point spread function (PSF), optimum coefficients are obtained. In this method, no additional calibration laser source is needed, reducing the complexity of the system. The cross-sectional images of a glass plate in milk are acquired, and the experimental results indicate that the axial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are effectively improved with the proposed spectral calibration method.     

Study on effective probe depth of optical coherence tomography system by Monte Carlo simulation

The intensities of Class I and Class II signals at several different probing depths and different coherence lengths are analyzed using a Monte Carlo model with a pencil beam, and the result shows that the longitudinal resolution has influence on the effective probe depth. A Monte Carlo model for optical coherence tomography system with a focused Gaussian beam is proposed. The intensities of Class I and Class II signals at different probing depth for different radius and depth of focus of the beam are simulated using this model. We found that increasing of the depth of focus and decreasing of the beam radius can finitely increase effective probing depth. When the effective probing depth is fixed, optimal signal intensity can be achieved by altering the beam radius or the depth of focus.     

从迈克耳孙干涉仪到光学相干层析术

介绍了迈克耳孙干涉仪在物理学发展史上的重要作用及生物医学成像技术的发展状况．从迈克耳孙干涉仪的发展过程出发,讨论了光学相干层析术的原理、特性及其在生物医学成像、物理学、材料科学中的应用,并将频谱光学相干层析术与傅里叶变换光谱术作了比较,最后讨论了它在教学上的意义．     

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.     

Simulation of coherent properties of photons in scattering medium for optical coherence tomography

Monte Carlo model of optical coherence tomography is developed for simulation of photon transport in half infinite homogenous media. The procedure is accelerated by scaling the baseline data from standard Monte Carlo calculation in turbid media with arbitrary optical parameters. Gaussian beam is modeled by hyperboloid of one sheet for actual condition to obtain distribution of photons on sample surface. Depth dependence coherent signal and photons distribution are calculated in this way, which is important to reconstruction of optical parameters by inverse Monte Carlo. Numerical results have verified this method in turbid medium of different optical parameters with acceptable relative errors.     

The application of optical coherence tomography to problems in polymer matrix composites

The Composites Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology has found optical coherence tomography (OCT) to be a powerful tool for non-destructive characterization of polymer matrix composites. Composites often exhibit superior properties to traditional materials such as wood and metal. However, the barrier to their widespread infiltration into consumer markets is cost. Composites can be made more cost competitive by improved composite design, process optimization, and quality control. OCT provides a means of evaluating the three aforementioned areas. OCT is a very versatile technique that can be applied to a variety of problems in polymer composites such as: microstructure determination for permeability and mechanical property prediction, void, dry spot, and defect detection, and damage evaluation. Briefly, OCT uses a low coherence source such as a superluminescent diode laser with a fiber optic based Michelson interferometer. In this configuration, the composite is the fixed arm of the interferometer. Reflections from heterogeneities within the sample are mapped as a function of thickness for any one position. Volume information is generated by translating the sample on a motorized stage. Information about the location and size of a feature within the composite is obtained. In this work, the power of OCT for imaging composite microstructure and damage is presented. An example of permeability prediction using the composite microstructure imaged from OCT is demonstrated. The effect of image processing on the value of permeability is discussed. Using the same sample, OCT imaging of composite impact damage is compared to more traditional techniques, X-ray computed tomography and confocal microscopy.     

Phase calculation with a swept source in optical coherence tomography: Jitter influence

An analysis of phase modifications introduced by laser jitter in frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) is described. It is shown that a 1D spurious phase function is introduced as a consequence of this phenomenon. This phase function is added to any other introduced by the object under analysis causing a superposition of both. The result may impose some limitations for unambiguous determination of phase changes of objects. Experimental and theoretical results are presented.     

Quantitative assessment of touch-screen panel by nondestructive inspection with three-dimensional real-time display optical coherence tomography

We investigated the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure several materials immersed in optical adhesives. The effects of variations in the concentration, physical characteristics, and thickness of the materials were studied, and these parameters were found to significantly affect the OCT measurement. The materials were selected for their distinct spectral properties in the infrared region. To ensure reliability, we acquired images using a scanning electron microscope after performing the semiconductor production process. We verified the feasibility of the application of OCT for defect inspection and product verification of touch-screen panels.