Optical coherence tomography

A high-resolution spectral-domain OCT scan

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is an imaging technique that uses light to capture micrometer-resolution, three-dimensional images from within optical scattering media (e.g., biological tissue). OCT is an application of low-coherence interferometry, which has been developed for applications including Biomedical Optics and Optical Metrology.

History

The development of OCT began with the work of David Huang and his colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the early 1990s. The first commercial systems were introduced in 1996.

Principle

OCT uses light waves to take cross-section pictures of your retina. This allows your ophthalmologist to map and measure the thickness of each of the retina’s distinctive layers. These measurements help with diagnosis and provide treatment guidance for glaucoma and diseases of the retina.

Applications

OCT is used in several medical specialties, including Ophthalmology, Cardiology, and Gastroenterology. In ophthalmology, OCT is used to obtain detailed images of the retina and anterior segment. In cardiology, OCT is used to image coronary arteries and identify areas of thin-cap fibroatheroma. In gastroenterology, OCT is used to image the gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus and colon.

See Also

• Medical imaging
• Biomedical optics
• Optical metrology