Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
in images under most conditions. Instead, OCT relies on the inherent optical
contrast generated from variations in optical scattering and index of refrac-
tion. These factors permit the repeated use of OCT for extended imaging.
OCT permits the cross-sectional imaging or en face sectioning of tissue and
samples, enabling in vivo structure to be visualized in opaque specimens, or
in specimens too large for high-resolution confocal or light microscopy.
Imaging at cellular and subcellular resolutions with OCT is an important
area of ongoing research. While many developmental biology animal models
have been commonly used for their scientific value, small size, ease of care and
handling, and readily visualized cellular features, cellular imaging in humans,
particularly in situ, is a challenge because of the smaller cell sizes (10-20
m)
compared to larger undifferentiated cells in developing organisms. To our ad-
vantage, poorly differentiated cells present in many neoplastic tissues tend to
be larger, increasing the likelihood for detection using OCT at current imaging
resolutions.
Clinical applications of OCT are likely to continue to increase, particularly
as more commercial OCT systems become available. With successful integra-
tion into clinical ophthalmic imaging, OCT applications in gastroenterology,
cardiology, and oncology are likely to become more commonplace. Finally,
novel means to perform molecular imaging using OCT will be pursued, using
targeted OCT-specific contrast agents or advanced nonlinear optical methods
for identifying and mapping the molecular and ultrastructural composition of
biological tissue. OCT represents a multifunctional investigative tool, which
not only complements many of the existing imaging technologies available
today, but overtime, is also likely to become established as a major optical
imaging modality.
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Acknowledgments
I thank my students, post-doctoral fellows, and research personnel in the
Biophotonics Imaging Laboratory at the Beckman Institute for their hard
work and dedication in advancing the OCT technology. I appreciate the insight
and collaborative contributions of Profs. Kenneth Suslick, Martin Gruebele,
and Keith Singletary from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and
Alexander Wei from Purdue University for using OCT to explore new applica-
tions. I also thank my colleagues in Biomedical Optics for their contributions
to this work, and my clinical collaborators and colleagues at Carle Founda-
tion Hospital and Carle Clinic Association, Urbana, Illinois, USA. Additional
information can be obtained at http://biophotonics.uiuc.edu. Prof. Stephen
Boppart's email address is boppart@uiuc.edu.
