Real-time, high velocity-resolution color Doppler optical coherence tomography

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Medical Imaging
• Physiological Flow Measurement

Background:

• Color Doppler optical coherence tomography (CDOCT) enables noninvasive imaging of physiological flow.
• Existing CDOCT methods face limitations in imaging speed and resolution for physiological flow mapping.
• Accurate and rapid assessment of microvascular blood flow is crucial in various biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate a novel CDOCT signal-processing strategy for high-speed physiological flow imaging.
• To achieve micrometer-scale physiological flow mapping simultaneously with morphological imaging.
• To enable measurement of a wide range of Doppler shifts at a high frame rate.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a novel CDOCT signal-processing strategy.
• Hardware-based digital autocorrelation across subsequent scans for Doppler shift measurement.
• System performance validation using a flow phantom and in vivo imaging in Xenopus laevis.

Main Results:

• The developed CDOCT strategy enables physiological flow imaging at 8 frames per second.
• The system accurately measures Doppler shifts ranging from 300 Hz to 8 kHz.
• Demonstrated capability for micrometer-scale physiological flow mapping in both phantom and in vivo models.

Conclusions:

• The novel CDOCT signal-processing strategy significantly enhances imaging speed for physiological flow.
• This advancement allows for rapid, noninvasive, and high-resolution mapping of physiological flow dynamics.
• The demonstrated system holds potential for improved diagnostic capabilities in biomedical research and clinical settings.