V. M. Gelikonov

Linear-wavenumber spectrometer for high-speed spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

An equidistant (in the wavenumber) spectrometer based on a diffraction grating, a compensation prism, and a CCD linear array is developed and implemented for spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. A criterion is introduced for estimating the level of residual nonequidistance. This criterion allows one to determine the threshold compensation level necessary for obtaining the spectrally limited spatial resolution. The method is tested in spectral-domain optical coherent tomography systems at wavelengths of 1270 and 830 nm.

Endoscopic OCT with forward-looking probe: clinical studies in urology and gastroenterology.

In the current paper we present results of application of endoscopic time-domain OCT (EOCT) with lateral scanning by forward looking miniprobe. We analysed material of clinical studies of 554 patients: 164 patients with urinary bladder pathology, and 390 with gastrointestinal tract pathology. We reviewed the materials obtained in different clinics using the OCT device elaborated at the Institute of Applied Physics. We demonstrate results of EOCT application in detection of early cancer and surgery guidance, examples of combined use of OCT and fluorescence imaging. As a result, we show the diagnostic accuracy of EOCT in specific clinical tasks. The sensitivity of EOCT cancer determination in Barretts esophagus is from 71% to 85% at different stages of neoplasia with specificity 68% for all stages. As for bladder carcinoma, the sensitivity and specificity are 85% and 68%, respectively. In colon dysplasia EOST demonstrates high efficacy: sensitivity 92% and specificity 84%.

A correlation-stability approach to elasticity mapping in optical coherence tomography

A variant of compressional optical coherence elastography for mapping of the relative stiffness of biological tissues is reported. Unlike conventionally discussed displacement-based (DB) elastography, in which the decrease in the cross-correlation between subsequently obtained images is a negative factor causing errors in the mapping displacement and strain fields, we propose to intentionally use the difference in the correlation stability (CS) for deformed-tissue regions with different stiffnesses. We compare the parameter ranges (in terms of noise-to-signal ratio and strain) in which the conventional DB and CS approaches are operable. It is shown that the CS approach has advantages such as a significantly wider operability region in terms of strain and is more tolerant to noise. This is favorable for freehand implementation of the CS approach. Examples of simulated and real CS-based elastographic optical coherence tomography images are given.A variant of compression optical coherence elastography for mapping relative tissue stiffness is reported. Unlike conventionally discussed displacement-based (DB) elastorgaphy, in which the decrease in the cross-correlation is a negative factor causing errors in mapping displacement and strain fields, we propose to intentionally use the difference in the correlation stability (CS) for deformed tissue regions with different stiffness. We compare the parameter ranges (in terms of noise-to-signal ratio and strain) in which the conventional DBand CS-approaches are operable. It is shown that the CS approach has such advantages as significantly wider operability region in terms of strain and is more tolerant to noises. This is favorable for freehand implementation of this approach. Examples of simulated and real CS-based elastographic OCT images are given. c

Optical Coherent Tomography for in vivo Determination of Changes in Hair Cross Section and Diameter during Treatment with Glucocorticosteroids – A Simple Method to Screen for Doping Substances?

Eighty percent of hair follicles are in the growing phase. They grow approximately 0.3 mm/day. The hair follicles are surrounded by a close network of capillaries, which supplies them with nutrients. It is well known that substances which influence the metabolic processes of humans also influence hair growth. Steroids, which are used for doping in sport, are among these substances. In the present paper, optical coherent tomography is used for the analysis of changes in the hair structure during the application of steroids for the treatment of patients suffering from auto-immune diseases. Significant differences in the hair cross section could be detected during treatment, while the shape of the hairs was not influenced. It could be demonstrated that optical coherence tomography is a suitable, non-invasive and low-cost measuring technique that can be applied for doping control and screening. As a result of this screening process, only those athletes who show abnormalities in hair parameters would need to be investigated by classical analytical methods. The results presented in this study are not only important for doping controls, but also for several clinical applications, such as therapy and compliance control in cases where the applied substances induce changes in the hair structure.

Coherent noise compensation in Spectral-Domain optical coherence tomography

An efficient technique for the separation of and compensation for coherent noise in spectral optical coherence tomography with parallel spectrum detection is proposed and validated. The coherent noise is separated during one exposure by modulating the mutual delay of the signal and reference waves by a certain law. It is shown that the influence of internal motions in an object on the quality of the coherent noise separation can be reduced by the modulation frequency increasing. The technique has been numerically and experimentally validated with the help of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) setup with a radiation source operating at a wavelength of 1277 nm and a width of the recorded spectrum of about 100 nm.

A model for simulating speckle-pattern evolution based on close to reality procedures used in spectral-domain OCT

A robust model for simulating speckle pattern evolution in optical coherence tomography (OCT) depending on the OCT system parameters and tissue deformation is reported. The model is based on application of close to reality procedures used in spectral-domain OCT scanners. It naturally generates images reproducing properties of real images in spectral-domain OCT, including the pixelized structure and finite depth of unambiguous imaging, influence of the optical spectrum shape, dependence on the optical wave frequency and coherence length, influence of the tissue straining, etc. Good agreement with generally accepted speckle features and properties of real OCT images is demonstrated.

A control system for the optical-fiber piezoelectric modulator of the optical path

The operating principle of an optical-fiber piezoe lectric modulator of the optical path in all-opti-cal-fiber interferometers is described. The control system of the optical-fiber piezoelectric modulator is composed of a controller based on a field programmable gate array, a digital-to-analog converter, an analog low-pass filter, and a power amplifier. A 4.4-m/s speed of chan ge in the optical length of the fiber has been attained with an error of 0.1% at a modulation length of the optical path of >1 mm.

Noniterative method of reconstruction optical coherence tomography images with improved lateral resolution in semitransparent media

A method of OCT imaging with a resolution throughout the investigated volume equal to the resolution in the best-focused region is described. It is based on summation of three-dimensional scattered field distributions at the wavelengths determined by OCT source spectral decomposition. A method of finding parameters needed for algorithmic realization of the summation is also proposed. The proposed approaches are tested on several model media, including biological ones.

Electronic interface systems for goals of spectral domain optical coherence tomography

A setup for visualizing the internal structure of media, which partially scatter radiation, using the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) method is described. The special complex of electron interface systems, ensuring the operating speed of the spectral domain OCT system at a level of 10000 A-scans (longitudinal scans along the depth) per second, high dynamic imaging range, and complete suppression of coherent noise peculiar to the spectral method has been designed to eliminate artifacts characteristic of this method.

All-fiber optical gyroscopes on orthogonal polarizations

The expressions for the nonreciprocal phase at the output of a fiber ring interferometer (FRI) related to polarization phenomena are obtained in the general form. These expressions are used to analyze two systems of the FRIs on anisotropic elements without polarizer with one and two beam splitters with allowance for their phase anisotropy and losses. We formulate the requirements on the elements of circuits and their adjustment, which lead to minimization of the nonreciprocal polarization phase due to the single-loop realization of two independent orthogonal gyroscopic channels whose signals are added at the output. This allows us to use the above simple circuits for creating moderate-accuracy fiber gyroscopes.