Endoscopic forward-viewing optical coherence tomography and angiography with MHz swept source

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Existing endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems are primarily side-viewing, limiting volumetric imaging accuracy and en face visualization.
• Previous forward-viewing OCT devices suffered from slow axial scan speeds, hindering real-time applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel forward-viewing fiber scanning 3D-OCT probe for enhanced gastrointestinal tract imaging.
• To achieve high-speed volumetric imaging with improved resolution and field of view.

Main Methods:

• A forward-viewing fiber scanning 3D-OCT probe with a 3.3 mm diameter and 20 mm rigid length was designed for endoscopic channel passage.
• The probe achieved a 1 MHz axial scan rate, 900 μm field of view, and 5 μm transverse resolution.
• Volumetric acquisitions were performed at 1.8 kHz resonant frequency, enabling 2 volumes/s display.

Main Results:

• The forward-viewing 3D-OCT probe successfully imaged the human gastrointestinal tract, including the colon, during surveillance colonoscopy.
• High-speed volumetric data acquisition (0.17 s per volume) and display (2 volumes/s) were achieved.
• The system demonstrated capability for both 3D-OCT and angiography imaging.

Conclusions:

• The developed forward-viewing fiber scanning 3D-OCT probe represents a significant advancement for endoscopic imaging.
• This technology offers improved accuracy and visualization for gastrointestinal tract examination.
• The probe's design and performance enable real-time, high-resolution 3D imaging during routine endoscopic procedures.