Endoscopic Functional Fourier Domain Common Path Optical Coherence Tomography for Microsurgery.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Surgical Imaging Technology
• Microsystems Engineering

Background:

• Common-path Optical Coherence Tomography (CPOCT) is a robust interferometry technique.
• Fourier Domain CPOCT (FD-CP-OCT) offers advantages for endoscopic sensing and imaging.
• Integration into surgical tools requires specialized fiber optic probes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advance FD-CP-OCT for delicate microsurgical applications, specifically intraocular retinal surgery.
• To develop and validate fiber optic probes tailored for microsurgical requirements.
• To demonstrate the system's high-resolution imaging and optical sensing capabilities in a surgical context.

Main Methods:

• Development and validation of specialized fiber optic probes for FD-CP-OCT.
• Integration of probes into the FD-CP-OCT system for microsurgical procedures.
• Utilization of multiple Superluminescent Diodes (SLEDs) for axial resolution measurements.
• Proposal of a technique for quantitative oxygen saturation measurement in tissue.
• Demonstration of surface sensing, topological, and motion compensation capabilities.

Main Results:

• Achieved sub 3-micron axial resolution in water using multiple SLEDs.
• Demonstrated potential for quantitative tissue oxygen saturation mapping.
• Provided evidence of surface sensing capabilities through topological and motion compensation.
• Obtained high-resolution OCT images suitable for microsurgical guidance.

Conclusions:

• FD-CP-OCT, with its specialized probes, shows significant promise for intraocular retinal surgery.
• The system offers both high-resolution imaging and valuable optical sensing functionalities.
• Further validation supports the technology's potential for surgical tool guidance and tissue analysis.