Single-input polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography through a catheter

Adaptive contour-tracking to aid wide-field swept-source optical coherence tomography imaging of large objects with uneven surface topology

High-speed and wide-field optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging is increasingly essential for clinical applications yet faces challenges due to its inherent sensitivity roll-off and limited depth of focus, particularly when imaging samples with significant variations in surface contour. Here, we propose one innovative solution of adaptive contour tracking and scanning methods to address these challenges. The strategy integrates an electrically tunable lens and adjustable optical delay line control with real-time surface contour information, enabling dynamic optimization of imaging protocols. It rapidly pre-scans the sample surface to acquire a comprehensive contour map. Using this map, it generates a tailored scanning protocol by partitioning the entire system ranging distance into depth-resolved segments determined by the optical Raleigh length of the objective lens, ensuring optimal imaging at each segment. Employing short-range imaging mode along the sample contour minimizes data storage and post-processing requirements, while adaptive adjustment of focal length and reference optical delay line maintains high imaging quality throughout. Experimental demonstrations show the effectiveness of the adaptive contour tracking OCT in maintaining high contrast and signal-to-noise ratio across the entire field of view, even in samples with significantly uneven surface curvatures. Notably, this approach achieves these results with reduced data volume compared to traditional OCT methods. This advancement holds promise for enhancing OCT imaging in clinical settings, particularly in applications requiring rapid, wide-field imaging of tissue structures and blood flow.

High-speed, long-range and wide-field OCT for in vivo 3D imaging of the oral cavity achieved by a 600 kHz swept source laser

We report a high-speed, long-range, and wide-field swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) system aimed for imaging microstructures and microcirculations in the oral cavity. This system operates at a scan speed of 600 kHz, delivering a wide imaging field of view at 42 × 42 mm2 and a ranging distance of 36 mm. To simultaneously meet the requirements of high speed and long range, it is necessary for the k-clock trigger signal to be generated at its maximum speed, which may induce non-linear phase response in electronic devices due to the excessive k-clock frequency bandwidth, leading to phase errors. To address this challenge, we introduced a concept of electrical dispersion and a global k-clock compensation approach to improve overall performance of the imaging system. Additionally, image distortion in the wide-field imaging mode is also corrected using a method based on distortion vector maps. With this system, we demonstrate comprehensive structural and blood flow imaging of the anterior oral cavity in healthy individuals. The high-speed, long-range, and wide-field SS-OCT system opens new opportunities for comprehensive oral cavity examinations and holds promise as a reliable tool for assessing oral health conditions.

Digital calibration method to enable depth-resolved all-fiber polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography with an arbitrary input polarization state

We present a fully integrated depth-resolved all fiber-based polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PSOCT). In contrast to conventional fiber-based PSOCT systems, which require additional modules to generate two or more input polarization states, or a pre-adjustment procedure to generate a circularly polarized light, the proposed all-fiber PSOCT system can provide depth-resolved birefringent imaging using an arbitrary single input polarization state. Utilizing the discrete differential geometry (DDG)-based polarization state tracing (PST) method, combined with several geometric rotations and transformations in the Stokes space, two problems induced by the optical fibers can be mitigated: 1) The change in the polarization state introduced by the optical fibers can be effectively compensated using a calibration target at the distal end of the probe, and the computations of the local axis orientation and local phase retardation can be achieved with a single arbitrary input polarization state, eliminating the need for a pre-defined input polarization state, allowing a flexible system design and user-friendly experimental procedure; 2) The polarization mode dispersion (PMD) induced by the optical fibers can be compensated digitally without the requirement of additional input polarization states, providing an accurate PSOCT imaging result. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed method, the depth resolved PSOCT results of a plastic phantom and in vivo skin imaging are obtained using the proposed all-fiber PSOCT system.

Segmentation of anatomical layers and imaging artifacts in intravascular polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography using attending physician and boundary cardinality losses

Intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography are widely available for assessing coronary stenoses and provide critical information to optimize percutaneous coronary intervention. Intravascular polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) measures the polarization state of the light scattered by the vessel wall in addition to conventional cross-sectional images of subsurface microstructure. This affords reconstruction of tissue polarization properties and reveals improved contrast between the layers of the vessel wall along with insight into collagen and smooth muscle content. Here, we propose a convolutional neural network model, optimized using two new loss terms (Boundary Cardinality and Attending Physician), that takes advantage of the additional polarization contrast and classifies the lumen, intima, and media layers in addition to guidewire and plaque shadows. Our model segments the media boundaries through fibrotic plaques and continues to estimate the outer media boundary behind shadows of lipid-rich plaques. We demonstrate that our multi-class classification model outperforms existing methods that exclusively use conventional OCT data, predominantly segment the lumen, and consider subsurface layers at most in regions of minimal disease. Segmentation of all anatomical layers throughout diseased vessels may facilitate stent sizing and will enable automated characterization of plaque polarization properties for investigation of the natural history and significance of coronary atheromas.

Multiparameter interferometric polarization-enhanced imaging differentiates carcinoma in situ from inflammation of the bladder: an ex vivo study

Significance

Successful differentiation of carcinoma in situ (CIS) from inflammation in the bladder is key to preventing unnecessary biopsies and enabling accurate therapeutic decisions. Current standard-of-care diagnostic imaging techniques lack the specificity needed to differentiate these states, leading to false positives.

Aim

We introduce multiparameter interferometric polarization-enhanced (MultiPIPE) imaging as a promising technology to improve the specificity of detection for better biopsy guidance and clinical outcomes.

Approach

In this ex vivo study, we extract tissue attenuation-coefficient-based and birefringence-based parameters from MultiPIPE imaging data, collected with a bench-top system, to develop a classifier for the differentiation of benign and CIS tissues. We also analyze morphological features from second harmonic generation imaging and histology slides and perform imaging-to-morphology correlation analysis.

Results

MultiPIPE enhances specificity to differentiate CIS from benign tissues by nearly 20% and reduces the false-positive rate by more than four-fold over clinical standards. We also show that the MultiPIPE measurements correlate well with changes in morphological features in histological assessments.

Conclusions

The results of our study show the promise of MultiPIPE imaging to be used for better differentiation of bladder inflammation from flat tumors, leading to a fewer number of unnecessary procedures and shorter operating room (OR) time.