Speckle reduction in visible-light optical coherence tomography using scan modulation

• DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.6.4.041107
• Publication Date: 2019-09-03T05:56:02Z
• Authors: Ian Rubinoff; Lisa Beckmann; Yuanbo Wang; Amani A. Fawzi; Xiaorong Liu; Jenna Tauber; Katie Jones; Hiroshi Ishikawa; Joel S. Schuman; Roman Kuranov; Hao F. Zhang
• Keywords: Speckle noise; Raster scan; Modulation (music); Speckle imaging

We present a technique to reduce speckle in visible-light optical coherence tomography (vis-OCT) that preserves fine structural details and is robust against sample motion. Specifically, we locally modulate B-scans orthogonally their axis of acquisition. Such modulation enables acquisition uncorrelated patterns from similar anatomical locations, which can be averaged speckle. To verify the effectiveness reduction, performed in-vivo retinal imaging using modulated raster circular scans both mice humans. compared speckle-reduced vis-OCT images with acquired unmodulated same locations. contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) equivalent number looks (ENL) quantify image quality enhancement. Speckle-reduced showed up 2.35-dB improvement CNR 3.1-fold ENL more discernable features eight A-line averages at 25-kHz rate.