Simultaneous dual-band optical coherence tomography for endoscopic applications

Dual-band optical coherence tomography (OCT) can greatly enhance the imaging contrast with potential applications in functional (spectroscopic) analysis. A new simultaneous dual-band Fourier domain mode-locked swept laser configuration for dual-band OCT is reported. It was based on a custom-designed dual-channel driver to synchronize two different wavelength bands at 1310 and 1550 nm, respectively. Two lasing wavelengths were swept simultaneously from 1260 to 1364.8 nm for the 1310-nm band and from 1500 to 1604 nm for the 1550-nm band at an A-scan rate of 45 kHz. Broadband wavelength-division multiplexing was utilized to couple two wavelength bands into a common catheter for circumferential scanning to form dual-band OCT. The proposed dual-band OCT scheme was applied to endoscopic OCT imaging of mouse esophageal wall ex vivo and human fingertip in vivo to justify the feasibility of the proposed imaging technique. The proposed dual-band OCT system is fast and easy to be implemented, which allows for in vivo high-speed biomedical imaging with potential applications in spectroscopic investigations for endoscopic imaging.