Optical coherence microscopy and focal modulation microscopy for Real-time Deep Tissue imaging

Abstract

Imaging technology that has spatial resolution high enough to detect subsurface early-stage tissue abnormalities associated with diseases is utmost important for pathophysiologic investigation in vivo and diagnostic purpose. This thesis identifies fundamental and practical problems with the current OCT technology according to the requirements in the biomedical research and clinical settings. Double-pass RMA based optical delay line was constructed to achieve fast or even real-time imaging in TDOCT, especially for high-resolution and spectroscopic measurement; DRPM based scanning device enables high-speed or even real-time en face scanning OCM; binary-phase spatial filters are designed to overcome the limitation of transverse resolution along a large DOF. Lack of molecular contrast is one of major drawbacks of OCT for a broad spectrum of biomedical applications. A novel dual-mode microscopy combining optical coherence microscopy and focal modulation microscopy (FMM) is developed as a dedicated instrument for simultaneous and collinear molecular-specific/morphology contrast deep tissue imaging.