Abstract
Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is an imaging technique based on light scattering. PS-OCT performs rapid two- and three-dimensional imaging of transparent and translucent samples with micrometer scale resolution. PS-OCT provides image contrast based on the polarization state of backscattered light and has been applied in many biomedical fields as well as in non-medical fields. Thereby, the polarimetric approach enabled imaging with enhanced contrast compared to standard OCT and the quantitative assessment of sample polarization properties. In this article, the basic methodological principles, the state of the art of PS-OCT technologies, and important applications of the technique are reviewed in a concise yet comprehensive way.
Highlights
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging modality providing 2D and 3D images with micrometer scale resolution [1,2,3]
Since low-coherent light consists of a continuum of wavelengths, the interference spectrum will be subject to modulations which depend on the path length difference between the sample beam and the reference beam
Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) was demonstrated for investigating the mucosa of the vocal fold and for detecting lesions in the buccal mucosa based on increased birefringence [174,175]
Summary
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging modality providing 2D and 3D images with micrometer scale resolution [1,2,3]. During the past 25 years since its invention, OCT experienced a multitude of technological quantitative measurements of a sample’s polarization properties These properties are often linked to advances leading to higher imaging speeds, improved resolution, and novel contrast mechanisms. Since the polarization state can microstructure in pathological tissue or due to stress and strain in a technical sample—may provide be measured for every pixel in a depth scan, PS-OCT can enhance the image contrast and enables access to quantities markers that are of interest for properties. The latter included articles primarily focusing on technological aspects or on measurements of published documents per year can be observed, peaking with more than 30 publications per year for technical (i.e., non-biological).
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