Engineering Optimization of Fourier Domain OCT Systems

描述(由申请人提供)： 这一探索性/开发性研究(R21)应用程序将工程优化的原则应用于光学相干层析成像(OCT)的系统设计，使微米级解剖和功能生物医学成像的技术水平有了巨大的进步。我们提出了OCT系统设计的三项关键创新，一旦分别展示，然后结合起来，将导致新一代OCT成像仪与当前技术水平相比具有更高的灵敏度、采集率和稳健性。这些创新建立在傅立叶域OCT领域最近的工作基础上，OCT是OCT数据收集的一种替代方法，它利用并行阵列检测技术来取代传统使用的单一传感器。然而，建议的方法通过引入特定的设计创新来优化系统灵敏度(定义为理想反射样本的信噪比，并且可以在采集率和稳健性(定义为系统可制造性和耐用性)之间进行权衡)，从而扩展到傅立叶域OCT的当前技术状态，而当前的设计在这两个领域都表现出严重的限制。这项研究和开发将产生紧凑、高灵敏度、强大的复杂傅立叶域OCT引擎，该引擎可以很容易地整合到正在进行的临床(如眼科、内窥镜)和生物学(如小动物成像)应用中。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Exploratory/Developmental Research (R21) application proposes a dramatic advance in the state of the art of micron-scale anatomical and functional biomedical imaging by applying the principles of engineering optimization to system design in Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). We propose three key innovations in OCT system design which, once demonstrated separately and then combined, will result in a new generation of OCT imagers with increased sensitivity, acquisition rate, and robustness as compared to the current state of the art. These innovations build upon recent work in the field on Fourier-Domain OCT, an alternative approach to OCT data collection which takes advantage of parallel array detection technology in place of single sensors as conventionally used. However, the proposed approach extends well beyond the current state of the art in Fourier-Domain OCT by introducing specific design innovations which optimize system sensitivity (defined as the signal-to-noise ratio for an ideal reflective sample, and which can be traded off for acquisition rate) and robustness (defined as system manufacturability and durability), in contrast to current designs which exhibit severe limitations in both areas. This research and development should result in a compact, high sensitivity, robust complex Fourier-Domain OCT engine that readily can be incorporated into ongoing clinical (e.g. ophthalmic, endoscopic) and biological (e.g. small animal imaging) applications.