Parallel optical coherence tomography apparatuses, systems, and related methods
Inventors
Abramoff, Michael D. • DeHoog, Edward
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12029481-B2
Publication Date
2024-07-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
Provided is a snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer comprising a light source providing a plurality of beamlets; a beam splitter, splitting the plurality of beamlets into a reference arm and a sample arm; a first optical system that projects the sample arm onto multiple locations of a sample; a second optical system for collection of a plurality of reflected sample beamlets; a third optical system projecting the reference arm to a reflecting surface and receiving a plurality of reflected reference beamlets; a parallel interferometer that provides a plurality of interferograms from each of the plurality of sample beamlets with each of the plurality of reference beamlets; an optical image mapper configured to spatially separate the plurality of interferograms; a spectrometer configured to disperse each of the interferograms into its respective spectral components and project each interferogram in parallel; and a photodetector providing photon quantification.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer that uses a plurality of low-coherence beamlets split into reference and sample arms and recombined to generate a plurality of interferograms. An optical image mapper spatially separates the plurality of beamlets, so interferograms produced from the recombined beamlets are available as multiple interferograms for subsequent processing. This arrangement supports snapshot operation in a spectral-domain optical coherence tomographer configuration.
A spectrometer disperses the interferograms into spectral components that are projected in parallel to a photodetector for parallel photon quantification. Processing includes inverse transforms to compute depth-resolved intensity and to generate an aggregate response from the depth-resolved intensity. The aggregate response is used to quantify nerve fiber layer thinning and retinal thickening.
The description further provides alternative embodiments for the optical image mapper, including a fiber/prism-based optical image mapper, and specifies embodiments with selectable light sources and imaging of the retina and/or cornea. The eye-imaging method workflow is outlined as a process that includes forming and splitting beamlets into reference and sample arms, recombining reflected beamlets to generate interferograms, and using the optical image mapper for separating the interferograms.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims. Across these, the inventive features are organized around a snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer with an optical image mapper that spatially separates beamlets and generates interferograms, spectral component detection that provides photon quantifications, and an eye-imaging method that separates interferograms using an optical image mapper.
Optical image mapper spatially separates recombined sample/reference beamlets into multiple interferograms
The tomographer includes an optical image mapper configured to spatially separate the plurality of beamlets, wherein the tomographer generates a plurality of interferograms by recombining the beamlets reflected from the sample and the beamlets reflected from the reflecting surface.
Separate sample and reference optical systems with recombined beamlets
The tomographer includes a first optical system comprising a sample objective lens configured to project certain of the plurality of beamlets onto a sample and collect beamlets reflected from the sample, and a second optical system comprising a reference objective lens configured to project certain of the plurality of beamlets onto a reflecting surface and collect beamlets reflected from the reflecting surface.
Parallel photodetection of spectral components for photon quantifications
The system includes a photodetector configured to receive spectral components of each of the interferograms and provide photon quantifications.
Computer processor quantifies nerve fiber thinning and/or retinal thickening based on photon quantifications
The system includes a computer processor configured with computer-executable instructions that cause the computer processor to quantify nerve fiber thinning and/or retinal thickening based on the photon quantifications.
Optical image mapper separates interferograms in an eye-imaging method
The method includes receiving and separating the plurality of interferograms by an optical image mapper.
Beam-splitting into reference and sample arms and generation of interferograms
The method provides a plurality of beamlets from a light source, transmits the plurality of beamlets to a beam splitter that splits the plurality of beamlets into a reference arm and a sample arm, reflects the reference arm on a reflecting surface, reflects the sample arm on the eye, recombines beamlets reflected from the reflecting surface and the eye, and generates a plurality of interferograms.
Overall, the claims cover a snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer architecture that spatially separates beamlets using an optical image mapper and generates multiple interferograms, with spectral-component photodetection providing photon quantifications. A computer processor uses the photon quantifications to quantify nerve fiber thinning and/or retinal thickening, and the eye-imaging method includes receiving and separating the plurality of interferograms by the optical image mapper.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Imaging an eye for quantifying nerve fiber thinning and/or retinal thickening.
Measuring nerve fiber layer thinning and retinal thickening using the aggregate response.
Imaging retina and/or cornea (as described in alternative embodiments).
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