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Abstract:We demonstrate three-dimensional structural and functional retinal imaging with line-field parallel swept source imaging (LPSI) at acquisition speeds of up to 1 MHz equivalent A-scan rate with sensitivity better than 93.5 dB at a central wavelength of 840 nm. The results demonstrate competitive sensitivity, speed, image contrast and penetration depth when compared to conventional point scanning OCT. LPSI allows high-speed retinal imaging of function and morphology with commercially available components. We further demonstrate a method that mitigates the effect of the lateral Gaussian intensity distribution across the line focus and demonstrate and discuss the feasibility of high-speed optical angiography for visualization of the retinal microcirculation.

Optical angiography systems based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) require dense sampling in order to maintain good vascular contrast. We demonstrate a way to gain acquisition speed and spatial sampling by using spectral splitting with a swept source OCT system. This method splits the recorded spectra into two to several subspectra. Using continuous lateral scanning, the lateral sampling is then increased by the same factor. This allows increasing the field of view of OCT angiography, while keeping the same transverse resolution and measurement time. The performance of our method is demonstrated in vivo at different locations of the human retina and verified quantitatively. Spectral splitting can be applied without any changes in the optical setup, thus offering an easy way to increase the field of view of OCT in general and in particular for OCT angiography.

We present a novel medical imaging modality based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) that enables in vivo 3D tomography at acquisition rates up to 1 MHz. Line field parallel swept source interferometric imaging (LPSI) combines line-field swept source OCT with modulation of the interferometric signal in spatial direction for full range imaging. This method enables high speed imaging with cost-effective and commercially available technology. We explain the realization of the LPSI setup, acquisition, and postprocessing and finally demonstrate 3D in vivo imaging of human nail fold. To the best of our knowledge, sensitivity and depth penetration are competitive with respective point scanning OCT methods at a comparable wavelength. Measured maximum sensitivity is 98.5 dB for 100 kHz and 90 dB for 1 MHz. Together with the significantly relaxed technological requirements regarding detection and swept source technology, LPSI might be a promising concept for future diagnostic OCT imaging.