We demonstrate real-time acquisition, processing, and display of tissue structure, birefringence, and blood flow in a multi-functional optical coherence tomography (MF-OCT) system. This is accomplished by efficient data processing of the phase-resolved inteference patterns without dedicated hardware or extensive modification to the high-speed fiber-based OCT system. The system acquires images of 2048 depth scans per second, covering an area of 5 mm in width×1.2 mm in depth with real-time display updating images in a rolling manner 32 times each second. We present a video of the system display as images from the proximal nail fold of a human volunteer are taken.

© 2003 Optical Society of America

1. D. Huang, E.A. Swanson, C.P. Lin, J.S. Schuman, W.G. Stinson, W. Chang, M.R. Hee, T. Flotte, K. Gregory, C.A. Puliafito, J.G. Fujimoto, �??Optical coherence tomography,�?? Science 254, 1178-81 (1991). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. W. Drexler, U. Morgner, F.X. Kärtner, C. Pitris, S.A. Boppart, X.D. Li, E.P. Ippen, J.G. Fujimoto, �??In vivo ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 24, 1221-3 (1999). [CrossRef]
3. A.M. Rollins, M.D. Kulkarni, S. Yazdanfar, R. Ung-arunyawee, J.A. Izatt, �??In vivo video rate optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Express 3, 219-29 (1998), <a href="http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-3-6-219">http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-3-6-219</a> [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. J.F. de Boer, T.E. Milner, M.J.C. van Gemert, J.S. Nelson, �??Two dimensional birefringence imaging in biological tissue by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 22, 934-6 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. M.J. Everett, K. Schoenenberger, B.W. Colston, L.B. Da Silva, �??Birefringence characterization of biological tissue by use of optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 23, 228-30 (1998). [CrossRef]
6. J.F. de Boer, S.M. Srinivas, A. Malekafzali, Z. Chen, J.S. Nelson, �??Imaging thermally damaged tissue by polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Express 3, 212-218 (1998), <a href="http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-3-6-212">http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-3-6-212</a>. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. J.M. Schmitt, S.H. Xiang, �??Cross-polarized backscatter in optical coherence tomography of biological tissue,�?? Opt. Lett. 23, 1060-2 (1998). [CrossRef]
8. J.F. de Boer, T.E. Milner, J.S. Nelson, �??Determination of the depth-resolved Stokes parameters of light backscattered from turbid media by use of polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 24, 300-2 (1999). [CrossRef]
9. G. Yao, L.V. Wang, �??Two dimensional depth-resolved Mueller matrix characterization of biological tissue by optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 24, 537-9 (1999). [CrossRef]
10. C.E. Saxer, J.F. de Boer, B.H. Park, Y. Zhao, Z. Chen, J.S. Nelson, �??High-speed fiber-based polarizationsensitive optical coherence tomography of in vivo human skin,�?? Opt. Lett. 25, 1355-7 (2000). [CrossRef]
11. J.E. Roth, J.A. Kozak, S. Yazdanfar, A.M. Rollins, J.A. Izatt, �??Simplified method for polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 26, 1069-71 (2001). [CrossRef]
12. R.V. Kuranov, V.V. Sapozhnikova, I.V. Turchin, E.V. Zagainova, V.M. Gelikonov, V.A. Kamensky, L.B. Snopova, N.N. Prodanetz, �??Complementary use of cross-polarization and standard OCT for differential diagnosis of pathological tissues,�?? Opt. Express 10, 707-713 (2002), <a href="http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-10-15-707">http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-10-15-707</a>. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. D. Fried, J. Xie, S. Shafi, J.D.B. Featherstone, T.M. Breunig, C. Le, �??Imaging caries lesions and lesion progression with polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? J. Biomed. Opt. 7, 618-27 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
14. Z. Chen, T.E. Milner, S. Srinivas, X. Wang, A. Malekafzali, M.J.C. van Gemert, J.S. Nelson, �??Noninvasive imaging of in vivo blood flow velocity using optical Doppler tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 22, 1119-21 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. J.A. Izatt, M.D. Kulkarni, S. Yazdanfar, J.K. Barton, A.J. Welch, �??In vivo bi-directional color Doppler flow imaging of picoliter blood volumes using optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 22, 1439-41 (1997). [CrossRef]
16. Y. Zhao, Z. Chen, C. Saxer, S. Xiang, J.F. de Boer, J.S. Nelson, �??Phase-resolved optical coherence tomography and optical Doppler tomography for imaging blood flow in human skin with fast scanning speed and high velocity sensitivity,�?? Opt. Lett. 25, 114-6 (2000). [CrossRef]
17. Y. Zhao, Z. Chen, C. Saxer, Q. Shen, S. Xiang, J.F. de Boer, J.S. Nelson, �??Doppler standard deviation imaging for clinical monitoring of in vivo human skin blood flow,�?? Opt. Lett. 25, 1358 (2000). [CrossRef]
18. V. Westphal, S. Yazdanfar, A.M. Rollins, J.A. Izatt, �??Real-time, high velocity-resolution color Doppler optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 34-6 (2002). [CrossRef]
19. A.M. Rollins, S. Yazdanfar, J.K. Barton, J.A. Izatt, �??Real-time in vivo color Doppler optical coherence tomography,�?? J. Biomed. Opt. 7, 123-9 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
20. Y. Zhao, Z. Chen, Z. Ding, H. Ren, J.S. Nelson, �??Real-time phase-resolved functional optical coherence tomography by use of optical Hilbert transformation,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 98-100 (2002). [CrossRef]
21. M.C. Pierce, B.H. Park, B. Cense, J.F. de Boer, �??Simultaneous intensity, birefringence, and flow measurements with high-speed fiber-based optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 1534-6 (2002). [CrossRef]
22. G.J. Tearney, B.E. Bouma, J.G. Fujimoto, �??High-speed phase- and group-delay scanning with a grating based phase control delay line,�?? Opt. Lett. 22, 1811-3 (1997). [CrossRef]
23. R. Tripathi, N. Nassif, J.S. Nelson, B.H. Park, J.F. de Boer, �??Spectral shaping for non-Gaussian source spectra in optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 406-8 (2002). [CrossRef]
24. J.F. de Boer, C.E. Saxer, J.S. Nelson, �??Stable carrier generation and phase-resolved digital data processing in optical coherence tomography,�?? Appl. Opt. 40, 5787-90 (2001). [CrossRef]
25. B.H. Park, C. Saxer, S.M. Srinivas, J.S. Nelson, J.F. de Boer, �??In vivo burn depth determination by highspeed fiber-based polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? J. Biomed. Opt. 6, 474-9 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
26. X.J. Wang, T.E. Milner, J.S. Nelson, �??Characterization of fluid-flow velocity by optical Doppler tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 20, 1337-9 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
27. T. Lindmo, D.J. Smithies, Z. Chen, J.S. Nelson, T.E. Milner, �??Accuracy and noise in optical Doppler tomography studied by Monte Carlo simulation,�?? Phys. Med. Biol. 43, 3045-64 (1998). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Opt.

• J.F. de Boer, C.E. Saxer, J.S. Nelson, �??Stable carrier generation and phase-resolved digital data processing in optical coherence tomography,�?? Appl. Opt. 40, 5787-90 (2001). [CrossRef]

J. Biomed. Opt.

• B.H. Park, C. Saxer, S.M. Srinivas, J.S. Nelson, J.F. de Boer, �??In vivo burn depth determination by highspeed fiber-based polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? J. Biomed. Opt. 6, 474-9 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• D. Fried, J. Xie, S. Shafi, J.D.B. Featherstone, T.M. Breunig, C. Le, �??Imaging caries lesions and lesion progression with polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? J. Biomed. Opt. 7, 618-27 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A.M. Rollins, S. Yazdanfar, J.K. Barton, J.A. Izatt, �??Real-time in vivo color Doppler optical coherence tomography,�?? J. Biomed. Opt. 7, 123-9 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Express

• A.M. Rollins, M.D. Kulkarni, S. Yazdanfar, R. Ung-arunyawee, J.A. Izatt, �??In vivo video rate optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Express 3, 219-29 (1998), <a href="http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-3-6-219">http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-3-6-219</a> [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J.F. de Boer, S.M. Srinivas, A. Malekafzali, Z. Chen, J.S. Nelson, �??Imaging thermally damaged tissue by polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Express 3, 212-218 (1998), <a href="http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-3-6-212">http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-3-6-212</a>. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• R.V. Kuranov, V.V. Sapozhnikova, I.V. Turchin, E.V. Zagainova, V.M. Gelikonov, V.A. Kamensky, L.B. Snopova, N.N. Prodanetz, �??Complementary use of cross-polarization and standard OCT for differential diagnosis of pathological tissues,�?? Opt. Express 10, 707-713 (2002), <a href="http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-10-15-707">http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-10-15-707</a>. [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• X.J. Wang, T.E. Milner, J.S. Nelson, �??Characterization of fluid-flow velocity by optical Doppler tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 20, 1337-9 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J.M. Schmitt, S.H. Xiang, �??Cross-polarized backscatter in optical coherence tomography of biological tissue,�?? Opt. Lett. 23, 1060-2 (1998). [CrossRef]
• J.F. de Boer, T.E. Milner, J.S. Nelson, �??Determination of the depth-resolved Stokes parameters of light backscattered from turbid media by use of polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 24, 300-2 (1999). [CrossRef]
• G. Yao, L.V. Wang, �??Two dimensional depth-resolved Mueller matrix characterization of biological tissue by optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 24, 537-9 (1999). [CrossRef]
• C.E. Saxer, J.F. de Boer, B.H. Park, Y. Zhao, Z. Chen, J.S. Nelson, �??High-speed fiber-based polarizationsensitive optical coherence tomography of in vivo human skin,�?? Opt. Lett. 25, 1355-7 (2000). [CrossRef]
• J.E. Roth, J.A. Kozak, S. Yazdanfar, A.M. Rollins, J.A. Izatt, �??Simplified method for polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 26, 1069-71 (2001). [CrossRef]
• J.F. de Boer, T.E. Milner, M.J.C. van Gemert, J.S. Nelson, �??Two dimensional birefringence imaging in biological tissue by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 22, 934-6 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M.J. Everett, K. Schoenenberger, B.W. Colston, L.B. Da Silva, �??Birefringence characterization of biological tissue by use of optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 23, 228-30 (1998). [CrossRef]
• W. Drexler, U. Morgner, F.X. Kärtner, C. Pitris, S.A. Boppart, X.D. Li, E.P. Ippen, J.G. Fujimoto, �??In vivo ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 24, 1221-3 (1999). [CrossRef]
• Y. Zhao, Z. Chen, Z. Ding, H. Ren, J.S. Nelson, �??Real-time phase-resolved functional optical coherence tomography by use of optical Hilbert transformation,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 98-100 (2002). [CrossRef]
• M.C. Pierce, B.H. Park, B. Cense, J.F. de Boer, �??Simultaneous intensity, birefringence, and flow measurements with high-speed fiber-based optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 1534-6 (2002). [CrossRef]
• G.J. Tearney, B.E. Bouma, J.G. Fujimoto, �??High-speed phase- and group-delay scanning with a grating based phase control delay line,�?? Opt. Lett. 22, 1811-3 (1997). [CrossRef]
• R. Tripathi, N. Nassif, J.S. Nelson, B.H. Park, J.F. de Boer, �??Spectral shaping for non-Gaussian source spectra in optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 406-8 (2002). [CrossRef]
• Z. Chen, T.E. Milner, S. Srinivas, X. Wang, A. Malekafzali, M.J.C. van Gemert, J.S. Nelson, �??Noninvasive imaging of in vivo blood flow velocity using optical Doppler tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 22, 1119-21 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J.A. Izatt, M.D. Kulkarni, S. Yazdanfar, J.K. Barton, A.J. Welch, �??In vivo bi-directional color Doppler flow imaging of picoliter blood volumes using optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 22, 1439-41 (1997). [CrossRef]
• Y. Zhao, Z. Chen, C. Saxer, S. Xiang, J.F. de Boer, J.S. Nelson, �??Phase-resolved optical coherence tomography and optical Doppler tomography for imaging blood flow in human skin with fast scanning speed and high velocity sensitivity,�?? Opt. Lett. 25, 114-6 (2000). [CrossRef]
• Y. Zhao, Z. Chen, C. Saxer, Q. Shen, S. Xiang, J.F. de Boer, J.S. Nelson, �??Doppler standard deviation imaging for clinical monitoring of in vivo human skin blood flow,�?? Opt. Lett. 25, 1358 (2000). [CrossRef]
• V. Westphal, S. Yazdanfar, A.M. Rollins, J.A. Izatt, �??Real-time, high velocity-resolution color Doppler optical coherence tomography,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 34-6 (2002). [CrossRef]

Phys. Med. Biol.

• T. Lindmo, D.J. Smithies, Z. Chen, J.S. Nelson, T.E. Milner, �??Accuracy and noise in optical Doppler tomography studied by Monte Carlo simulation,�?? Phys. Med. Biol. 43, 3045-64 (1998). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Science

• D. Huang, E.A. Swanson, C.P. Lin, J.S. Schuman, W.G. Stinson, W. Chang, M.R. Hee, T. Flotte, K. Gregory, C.A. Puliafito, J.G. Fujimoto, �??Optical coherence tomography,�?? Science 254, 1178-81 (1991). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Click here to see a list of articles that cite this paper

Multimedia

Related Journal Articles

• Simultaneous intensity, birefringence, and flow measurements with high-speed fiber-based optical coherence tomography (OL)
• Determination of birefringence and absolute optic axis orientation using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography with PM fibers (OE)
• Full range polarization-sensitive Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (OE)
• Real-time fiber-based multi-functional spectral-domain optical coherence tomography at 1.3 µm (OE)
• GPU accelerated real-time multi-functional spectral-domain optical coherence tomography system at 1300nm (OE)

Related Conference Papers

• Electro-optic birefringence induced polarization anisotropy in vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers (VCSOAs)
• Two-dimensional birefringence imaging in biological tissue using phase and polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography
• Characterizing Cartilage Ultrastructure Using Noninvasive Depth-Resolved Polarimetric Imaging
• Polarization Effects in Photonic Liquid Crystal Fibers
• Visualization of Birefringence in Tissue by Conventional Optical Coherence Tomography