Biomedical Imaging With Fourier Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

Marinko V. Sarunic
Engineering Science, SFU 

Biomedical imaging using light is an exciting area of research for high
resolution structural and functional visualization of cells and tissues in
vivo. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an interferometric technique
which provides non-invasive cross sectional images of biological tissue with
micrometer scale resolution. Commonly referred to as an optical analogue to
ultrasonography, the applications for OCT range from diagnostic
ophthalmology to imaging in small animals and developmental biology.
Recently, a significant increase in attainable OCT system sensitivity has
been identified by the use of spectrally resolved Fourier domain (FD)
detection. In addition to novel system level benefits for functional
imaging, FD OCT facilitates high speed scanning while maintaining high image
quality.  In this presentation, the fundamentals of low coherence
interferometry and FD OCT will be introduced, including functional imaging
extensions and applications.