Abstract
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has become a novel approach to noninvasive imaging in the past three decades, bringing a significant potential to biological research and medical biopsy in situ, particularly in three-dimensional (3D) in vivo conditions. Specifically, OCT systems using broad bandwidth sources, mainly centered at near-infrared-II, allow significantly higher imaging depth, as well as maintain a high-resolution and better signal-to-noise ratio than the traditional microscope, which avoids the scattering blur and thus obtains more details from delicate biological structures not just limited to the surface. Furthermore, OCT systems combined the spectrometer with novel light sources, such as multiplexed superluminescent diodes or ultra-broadband supercontinuum laser sources, to obtain sub-micron resolution imaging with high-speed achieve widespread clinical applications. Besides improving OCT performance, the functional extensions of OCT with other designs and instrumentations, taking polarization state or birefringence into account, have further improved OCT properties and functions. We summarized the conventional principle of OCT systems, including time-domain OCT, Fourier-domain OCT, and several typical OCT extensions, compared their different components and properties, and analyzed factors that affect OCT performance. We also reviewed current applications of OCT in the biomedical field, especially in hearing science, discussed existing limitations and challenges, and looked forward to future development, which may provide a guideline for those with 3D in vivo imaging desires.
Highlights
Optical coherence tomography (OCT), first proposed by David in 1991, is a novel three-dimensional (3D) imaging technology with noninvasive, high-resolution, and low-cost characteristics, which can perform high-definition cross-sectional imaging of the biological tissue in situ by measuring the reflected light signal, especially for transparent or translucent samples [1]
During 30 years of development, ultrahigh-resolution OCT using the broad-bandwidth femtosecond laser technology obtained an axial resolution of 1 μm and transverse resolution of 3 μm, which realized subcelluar imaging [2]
OCT systems have been widely used in the engineering and biomedical fields due to imaging quality and speed development
Summary
Optical coherence tomography (OCT), first proposed by David in 1991, is a novel three-dimensional (3D) imaging technology with noninvasive, high-resolution, and low-cost characteristics, which can perform high-definition cross-sectional imaging of the biological tissue in situ by measuring the reflected light signal, especially for transparent or translucent samples [1]. A micro-optical coherence tomography (μOCT) with a high axial resolution of 1 μm obtained from an ultrabroadband supercontinuum laser source was shown to provide subcellular details of the guinea pig cochlea, such as scala tympani, basilar membrane, and other structures or OoC. It can diagnose different subtypes of skin cancer and accurately determine the tumor boundaries, which helps diagnose disease and clinical treatment detection
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