Differential phase standard-deviation-based optical coherence tomographic angiography for human retinal imaging in...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA) is crucial for visualizing retinal vasculature.
• Existing OCTA algorithms face challenges in image contrast and sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel differential phase standard-deviation (DPSD)-based OCTA technique.
• To improve the visualization of dynamic vascular signals in the human retina.

Main Methods:

• Calculated standard deviation along the depth direction on differential phase images of sequential B-scans.
• Validated the DPSD technique using phantom and in vivo experiments.
• Compared DPSD performance against phase variance OCT, speckle variance OCT, and optical microangiography.

Main Results:

• DPSD demonstrated superior image contrast and higher sensitivity compared to other OCTA methods.
• Achieved an improved signal-to-noise ratio of 1.6 dB.
• Achieved an improved contrast-to-noise ratio of 0.5 in large scanning range images.

Conclusions:

• The DPSD-based OCTA technique offers enhanced performance for retinal angiography.
• This method provides improved image quality and diagnostic potential for retinal vascular diseases.