Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography for three-dimensional skin imaging

摘要

This paper reports on the latest advances in line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT), a recently invented imaging technology that now allows the generation of either horizontal (x x y) section images at an adjustable depth or vertical (x x z) section images at an adjustable lateral position, as well as three-dimensional images. For both two-dimensional imaging modes, images are acquired in real-time, with real-time control of the depth and lateral positions. Three-dimensional (x x y x z) images are acquired from a stack of horizontal section images. The device is in the form of a portable probe. The handle of the probe has a button and a scroll wheel allowing the user to control the imaging modes. Using a supercontinuum laser as a broadband light source and a high numerical microscope objective, an isotropic spatial resolution of similar to 1 mu m is achieved. The field of view of the three-dimensional images is 1.2 mm x 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm (x x y x z). Images of skin tissues are presented to demonstrate the potential of the technology in dermatology.