Single Shot OCT

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) has revolutionized the methodology of low coherence interferometry for biomedical imaging applications. SDOCT detects signal from every range gate in a focal volume simultaneously, allowing ultra-high acquisition speeds, increased signal-to-noise ratio, and improved phase stability. Like conventional OCT more than ten years ago, SDOCT has been demonstrated in vivo first, and hold the most promise for disease diagnosis in the field of ophthalmology. Physical Sciences Inc. proposes to extend the dimensionality of SDOCT with the creation and development of a single-shot optical coherence tomographer (SSOCT). SSOCT will capture full two-dimensional cross- sections simultaneously with an imaging spectrograph. It will allow full three-dimensional depth-resolved maps to be collected in a fraction of a second. Moreover, SSOCT reduces the complexity of the front-end transverse scan engine and may lead to the development of more portable instruments. In ophthalmology, the pernicious effects of eye motion will be rendered inconsequential and new functional and pump-probe imaging techniques can finally reach fruition. SSOCT, built upon the foundation of SDOCT and OCT, has the potential for early detection of a wide range of retinal pathologies, from glaucoma to macular degeneration. Relevance of research to public health: The proposed research will lead to earlier and improved diagnosis of retinal diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. In addition, the developed instrument and the principles upon which it is based may be used to image other disease types throughout the human body.