High speed swept source optical coherence tomography handheld instrument at 1310nm for point-of-care imaging

Abstract

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel biomedical imaging technique that functions as a type of "optical biopsy" by using low coherence interferometry to non-invasively generate high resolution cross-sectional images of tissue in real time. OCT has become a standard diagnostic tool in ophthalmology and investigators have demonstrated OCT in a variety of biomedical applications including cardiology, gastroenterology, dermatology, and urology. Recent research advances in swept source lasers have enabled swept source OCT (SS-OCT) to achieve imaging speeds 5-50x faster than commercially available spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) systems. This thesis describes the design of a handheld SS-OCT instrument for portable-real-time imaging in situ at the point of care. Traditional OCT devices require bulky table-mounted systems, but the handheld device has the potential to be used as an advanced point-of-care diagnostic instrument in primary care settings or intraoperatively. The combination of the wide scanning angle in the handheld and the high imaging speed of SS-OCT could allow for screening of pathology with a single volumetric data set spanning the areas of interest on the patient. The compact, easy-to-use form factor could enable the adoption of SS-OCT in settings like primary care clinics or the surgical theater where space is limited. Emergent applications can include intraoperative assessment of kidney transplant viability, as many donor kidneys suffer ischemic insult while awaiting transplant and there is a critical clinical need for a reliable, real-time assay to evaluate donor kidney viability and predict post-transplant outcome.