Optimal processing sequence and method combination of linear resampling and spectral shaping in swept-source optical coherence tomography

Abstract

There are many methods employed for the linear resampling and spectral shaping, the most important and complex signal processing procedures in swept-source optical coherence tomography. In this study, commonly used 4 interpolation methods (IMs) and 4 shaping methods (SMs) were used as an example to study the processing sequences (PSs) and method combinations of the two procedures. The acquired interference spectra at different optical path-length differences, corresponding to the shallow, middle, and deep depths in sample, were processed with all the combinations of the IMs and SMs with the current (the resampling followed by the shaping) and exchanged (the shaping followed by the resampling) PSs, respectively. The amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio, and full width at half maximum of axial point spread function, were used for performance evaluation. The exchanged PS was verified to be also correct and had improved performance compared with the current PS. The found optimal method combination with the exchanged PS can improve the performance compared with the current methods, especially for middle and deep regions.