Classical dispersion-cancellation interferometry

Even-order dispersion cancellation, an effect previously identified with frequency-entangled photons, is demonstrated experimentally for the first time with a linear, classical interferometer. A combination of a broad bandwidth laser and a high resolution spectrometer was used to measure the intensity correlations between anti-correlated optical frequencies. Only 14% broadening of the correlation signal is observed when significant material dispersion, enough to broaden the regular interferogram by 4250%, is introduced into one arm of the interferometer.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Comparison of phase-resolved Doppler optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography for measuring retinal blood vessels size

The goal of this study was to compare two OCT-based methods for measuring retinal blood vessels size: Phase-resolved Doppler OCT (DOCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA). The study was conducted in rats (n= 6) using a SD-OCT system operating at 1060 nm with 92 kHz image acquisition rate. Arteries and veins were separated by the phase polarity. Results from this study showed that the venal diameters are significantly larger than the arterial diameters, and there is no significant difference in the vessel diameters measured by both methods

Correlation of visually evoked intrinsic optical signals and electroretinograms recorded from chicken retina with a combined functional optical coherence tomography and electroretinography system

Akhlagh Moayed, A., Hariri, S., Choh, V., & Bizheva, K. (2012). Correlation of visually evoked intrinsic optical signals and electroretinograms recorded from chicken retina with a combined functional optical coherence tomography and electroretinography system. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 17(1), 0160111–0160115. Copyright 2012 Society of Photo Optical Instrumentation Engineers. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited. http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.17.1.016011Visually evoked fast intrinsic optical signals (IOSs) were recorded for the first time in vivo from all layers of healthy chicken retina by using a combined functional optical coherence tomography (fOCT) and electroretinography (ERG) system. The fast IOSs were observed to develop within ∼5  ms from the on-set of the visual stimulus, whereas slow IOSs were measured up to 1 s later. The visually evoked IOSs and ERG traces were recorded simultaneously, and a clear correlation was observed between them. The ability to measure visually evoked fast IOSs non-invasively and in vivo from individual retinal layers could significantly improve the understanding of the complex communication between different retinal cell types in healthy and diseased retinas.This work was supported by a research grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and in-kind contributions from Diagnosys LLC

Imaging in turbid media using quasi-ballistic photons

We study by means of experiments and Monte Carlo simulations, the scattering of light in random media, to determine the distance upto which photons travel along almost undeviated paths within a scattering medium, and are therefore capable of casting a shadow of an opaque inclusion embedded within the medium. Such photons are isolated by polarisation discrimination wherein the plane of linear polarisation of the input light is continuously rotated and the polarisation preserving component of the emerging light is extracted by means of a Fourier transform. This technique is a software implementation of lock-in detection. We find that images may be recovered to a depth far in excess of what is predicted by the diffusion theory of photon propagation. To understand our experimental results, we perform Monte Carlo simulations to model the random walk behaviour of the multiply scattered photons. We present a new definition of a diffusing photon in terms of the memory of its initial direction of propagation, which we then quantify in terms of an angular correlation function. This redefinition yields the penetration depth of the polarisation preserving photons. Based on these results, we have formulated a model to understand shadow formation in a turbid medium, the predictions of which are in good agreement with our experimental results.Comment: LaTex 19 pages, 10 ps figures and 8 eps figures. psfig.sty included. (submitted to Optics Commumications

Improved OCT Human Corneal segmentation Using Bayesian Residual Transform

The inherent poor signal to noise ratio of Optical Coherent Tomography(OCT) is considered as a main limitation of OCT segmentation,particularly because images are sampled quickly, at high resolutions,and in-vivo. Furthermore, speckle noise is generated bythe reflections of the OCT LASER limits the ability of automaticallysegmenting OCT images. This paper presents a novel method toautomatically segment human corneal OCT images. The proposedmethod uses Bayesian Residual Transform (BRT) to build a noiserobust external force map, that guides active contours model to thecorneal data in OCT images. Experimental results show that theproposed method outperforms the classical as well as the state-ofthe-art methods

Time-Resolved Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy for selected photon paths beyond 300 transport mean free paths

This paper is devoted to the theoretical and experimental demonstration of the possibility to perform time-resolved diffusing wave spectroscopy: we successfully registered field fluctuations for selected photon path lengths that can overpass 300 transport mean free paths. Such a performance opens new possibilities for biomedical optics applications.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Real-time three-dimensional optical coherence tomography image-guided core-needle biopsy system

Advances in optical imaging modalities, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), enable us to observe tissue microstructure at high resolution and in real time. Currently, core-needle biopsies are guided by external imaging modalities such as ultrasound imaging and x-ray computed tomography (CT) for breast and lung masses, respectively. These image-guided procedures are frequently limited by spatial resolution when using ultrasound imaging, or by temporal resolution (rapid real-time feedback capabilities) when using x-ray CT. One feasible approach is to perform OCT within small gauge needles to optically image tissue microstructure. However, to date, no system or core-needle device has been developed that incorporates both three-dimensional OCT imaging and tissue biopsy within the same needle for true OCT-guided core-needle biopsy. We have developed and demonstrate an integrated core-needle biopsy system that utilizes catheter-based 3-D OCT for real-time image-guidance for target tissue localization, imaging of tissue immediately prior to physical biopsy, and subsequent OCT imaging of the biopsied specimen for immediate assessment at the point-of-care. OCT images of biopsied ex vivo tumor specimens acquired during core-needle placement are correlated with corresponding histology, and computational visualization of arbitrary planes within the 3-D OCT volumes enables feedback on specimen tissue type and biopsy quality. These results demonstrate the potential for using real-time 3-D OCT for needle biopsy guidance by imaging within the needle and tissue during biopsy procedures

Ultra-high resolution Fourier domain optical coherence tomography for old master paintings

In the last 10 years, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has been successfully applied to art conservation, history and archaeology. OCT has the potential to become a routine non-invasive tool in museums allowing cross-section imaging anywhere on an intact object where there are no other methods of obtaining subsurface information. While current commercial OCTs have shown potential in this field, they are still limited in depth resolution (> 4 μm in paint and varnish) compared to conventional microscopic examination of sampled paint cross-sections (~1 μm). An ultrahigh resolution fiber-based Fourier domain optical coherence tomography system with a constant axial resolution of 1.2 μm in varnish or paint throughout a depth range of 1.5 mm has been developed. While Fourier domain OCT of similar resolution has been demonstrated recently, the sensitivity roll-off of some of these systems are still significant. In contrast, this current system achieved a sensitivity roll-off that is less than 2 dB over a 1.2 mm depth range with an incident power of ~1 mW on the sample. The high resolution and sensitivity of the system makes it convenient to image thin varnish and glaze layers with unprecedented contrast. The non-invasive 'virtual' cross-section images obtained with the system show the thin varnish layers with similar resolution in the depth direction but superior clarity in the layer interfaces when compared with conventional optical microscope images of actual paint sample cross-sections obtained microdestructively

Corneal biometry from volumetric SDOCT and comparison with existing clinical modalities

We present a comparison of corneal biometric values from dense volumetric spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) scans to reference values in both phantoms and clinical subjects. We also present a new optically based “keratometric equivalent power” formula for SDOCT that eliminates previously described discrepancies between corneal power form SDOCT and existing clinical modalities. Phantom objects of varying radii of curvature and corneas of normal subjects were imaged with a clinical SDOCT system. The optically corrected three-dimensional surfaces were used to recover radii of curvature and power as appropriate. These were then compared to the manufacturer’s reference values in phantoms and to measurements from topography and Scheimpflug photography in subjects. In phantom objects, paired differences between SDOCT and reference values for radii of curvature were not statistically significant. In subjects, there were no significant paired differences between SDOCT and reference values from the other modalities for anterior radius and corneal keratometric power. In contrast to other studies, we found that dense volumetric scans with available SDOCT can be used to recover corneal biometric values—including power—that correspond well with existing clinical measurements