Mapping local optical axis in birefringent samples using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

J Biomed Opt. 2012 Nov;17(11):110501. doi: 10.1117/1.JBO.17.11.110501.

Abstract

An algorithm was developed to obtain depth-resolved local optical axis in birefringent samples by using conventional polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) that uses a single circularly polarized incident light. The round-trip sample Jones matrices were first constructed from the cumulative PSOCT results. An iterative method was then applied to construct the depth-resolved local Jones matrix from which the local optical axis was calculated. The proposed algorithm was validated in samples with homogeneous axis and with depth-varying optical axis. Imaging examples were shown to demonstrate the capability of this method for extracting correct local axis and revealing features not evident in other images.

Publication types

  • Letter
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Birefringence
  • Chickens
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / statistics & numerical data
  • Optical Phenomena
  • Tendons / anatomy & histology
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods*
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / statistics & numerical data