Systems, methods, and media for multiple reference arm spectral domain optical coherence tomography

A method for spectral domain optical coherence tomography, the method comprising:

• providing an optical system comprising a sample arm, a first reference arm having a first path length, and a second reference arm having a second path length;
• receiving, by a processor, data comprising:
• a first vector of data generated using a first electromagnetic radiation from the sample arm and a second electromagnetic radiation from the first reference arm, and
• a second vector of data generated using a third electromagnetic radiation from the sample arm and a fourth electromagnetic radiation from the second reference arm,
• the first and third electromagnetic radiations being emitted from the sample in substantially the same time window;
• generating, by the processor, first real image data based on subdividing the first vector of data into two sub-vectors by selecting a portion of the first vector on a positive side of a zero delay for inclusion in a first sub-vector and selecting another portion of the first vector on a negative side of the zero delay for inclusion in a second sub-vector;
• generating, by the processor, second real image data based on subdividing the second vector of data into two sub-vectors by selecting a portion of the second vector on the positive side of the zero delay for inclusion in a third sub-vector and selecting another portion of the second vector on the negative side of the zero delay for inclusion in a fourth sub-vector;
• merging, by the processor, the first real image data and the second real image data to generate a real image of the sample with decreased sensitivity roll-off;
• and
• generating a binary mask based on a comparison of the fourth sub-vector and a shifted sub-vector that includes values generated using the second reference arm.