Ten Years of Gabor-Domain Optical Coherence Microscopy

Abstract

Gabor-domain optical coherence microscopy (GDOCM) is a high-definition imaging technique leveraging principles of low-coherence interferometry, liquid lens technology, high-speed imaging, and precision scanning. GDOCM achieves isotropic 2 μm resolution in 3D, effectively breaking the cellular resolution limit of optical coherence tomography (OCT). In the ten years since its introduction, GDOCM has been used for cellular imaging in 3D in a number of clinical applications, including dermatology, oncology and ophthalmology, as well as to characterize materials in industrial applications. Future developments will enhance the structural imaging capability of GDOCM by adding functional modalities, such as fluorescence and elastography, by estimating thicknesses on the nano-scale, and by incorporating machine learning techniques.

Near-Histologic Resolution Images of Cervical Dysplasia Obtained With Gabor Domain Optical Coherence Microscopy

“… 12 , 27 , 28 Gabor-domain optical coherence microscopy generates histologic quality images and has the potential to function as a virtual biopsy tool instead of an adjunct to traditional biopsy. This improved technology is scalable and already has clinical applications in dermatology and opthalmology, 11 , 14 , 15 where the providers in those specialties use it. The development of a GDOCM device with a probe for use in vivo has the potential to replace colposcopy and deliver cervical cancer screening and treatment in 1 visit.…”

“…It was particularly shown to have ×10 better lateral resolution than optical coherence tomography (OCT) and approximately ×5 greater imaging depth with a ×4–×10 larger field of view than confocal microscopy. 11 Clinical use of OCT has been well established in ophthalmology, where it is used in clinical practice by ophthalmologists 12 to diagnose diseases of the retina. 13 …”

Vectorial birefringence imaging by optical coherence microscopy for assessing fibrillar microstructures in the cornea and limbus

“…Depth-encoding the two input polarization states instead of sequential modulation would relieve the tight spatial sampling constraint and enable faster and more flexible scanning. The implemented focus scheme already ensures that a tight lateral resolution can be maintained over an extended axial range and avoids the multiple acquisitions with varied axial focus positions of conventional OCM [63,64]. Although the nominal DOF, defined as the FWHM of the product of the intensity profiles of the illuminating Bessel beam and the detecting Gaussian beam, is only approximately 70 µm, the practical imaging range providing meaningful intensity images and OA orientation maps extends well beyond 300 µm.…”

In vivo imaging of corneal nerves and cellular structures in mice with Gabor-domain optical coherence microscopy

“…Gabor-domain optical coherence microscopy (GDOCM) was introduced to produce cellular resolution imaging in 3D over a depth of imaging comparable to that of conventional OCT [43,44]. It leverages a high numerical aperture microscope with an integrated liquid lens for dynamic refocusing, resulting in 2 µm isotropic resolution in the volume being imaged, over a 1 mm × 1 mm field of view, and depth of imaging up to 2.5 mm in tissue [44]. GDOCM achieves volumetric imaging with invariant resolution by acquiring multiple 3D images at different focal depths and fusing together the in-focus portions of each image [43][44][45].…”

“…It leverages a high numerical aperture microscope with an integrated liquid lens for dynamic refocusing, resulting in 2 µm isotropic resolution in the volume being imaged, over a 1 mm × 1 mm field of view, and depth of imaging up to 2.5 mm in tissue [44]. GDOCM achieves volumetric imaging with invariant resolution by acquiring multiple 3D images at different focal depths and fusing together the in-focus portions of each image [43][44][45]. Dynamic focusing with no moving parts is achieved with a liquid lens embedded in the GDOCM microscope probe [46].…”