US 2010/0245838 A1 · METHOD OF MOTION CORRECTION IN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IMAGING

Abstract

An image data set acquired by an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system is corrected for effects due to motion of the sample. A first set of A-scans is acquired within a time short enough to avoid any significant motion of the sample. A second more extensive set of A-scans is acquired over an overlapping region on the sample. Significant sample motion may occur during acquisition of the second set. A-scans from the first set are matched with A-scans from the second set, based on similarity between the longitudinal optical scattering profiles they contain. Such matched pairs of A-scans are likely to correspond to the same region in the sample. Comparison of the OCT scanner coordinates that produced each A-scan in a matching pair, in conjunction with any shift in the longitudinal scattering profiles between the pair of A-scans, reveals the displacement of the sample between acquisition of the first and second A-scans in the pair. Estimates of the sample displacement are used to correct the transverse and longitudinal coordinates of the A-scans in the second set, to form a motion-corrected OCT data set.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for correcting the coordinates of longitudinal optical scattering profiles obtained from within a sample by an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imager, wherein the correction compensates for relative movement between the OCT system and the sample, said method comprising the steps of:

acquiring a first set of longitudinal scans at a first plurality of transverse locations within the sample, said first period of scans all being taken during a first time period;
acquiring a second set of longitudinal scans at a second plurality of transverse locations across the sample, said second plurality of scans being larger than the first plurality and said second set of scans all being taken during a second time period longer than said first time period and wherein at least some of the second plurality of transverse locations are close to at least some of the first plurality of transverse locations on the sample;
matching certain ones of said second plurality of scans to certain ones of said first plurality of scans to define matched pairs, said matching being based on an evaluation of whether the associated optical scattering profiles of the scans are substantially similar;
determining a displacement between coordinates associated with each of said matched pairs;
and
adjusting the coordinates associated with at least some of the scans of the second set based on the determined displacements thereby correcting for inaccuracies created by said relative movement during the acquisition of the second set of scans.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of motion correction in optical coherence tomography imaging

Life of this patent

Method of motion correction in optical coherence tomography imaging

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24