Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography of Retinal Circulation
Published on: September 18, 2012
Ultra-high speed and ultra-high resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and optical Doppler
1Harvard Medical School, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Abstract:
We present ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) structural intensity and optical Doppler tomography (ODT) flow velocity images of the human retina in vivo. The ultra-high speed OCT system is based on Spectral Domain or Fourier Domain technology, which provides a sensitivity advantage over conventional OCT of more than 2 orders of magnitude. This sensitivity improvement allows video rate OCT and ODT cross sectional imaging of retinal structures. Images will be presented with axial resolutions of 6 and 3.5 microns. We observed small features in the inner and outer plexiform layers, which are believed to be small blood vessels. Flow velocity images will be presented showing pulsatile flow in retinal arteries and veins.

