System and method of dynamic micro-optical coherence tomography for mapping cellular functions

An apparatus for obtaining image data and functional data from a sample, the apparatus comprising:

• an interferometer to acquire interferometric information along an imaging plane that is based on radiations provided from a reference interfered with by the sample,
• at least one axis of the plane being at least partially along a depth or axial dimension;
• and
• a processor configured to receive the interferometric information from the interferometer and configured to:
• process the interferometric information to generate an image of the sample along the imaging plane;
• and
• perform a frequency analysis of temporal fluctuations arising from the sample, the analysis comprising:
• determining spectral information for the interferometric information,
• binning the spectral information into a plurality of frequency ranges, and
• generating a pseudo-color composite image comprising different colors corresponding to each of the plurality of frequency ranges,
• the composite image comprising contrasting portions corresponding to differences in intracellular motion within the sample.

An apparatus for obtaining image data and functional data from a biological sample, the apparatus comprising:

• an interferometer configured to acquire interferometric information at a plurality of time points along an imaging plane that is based on radiations provided from a reference interfered with by the biological sample,
• at least one axis of the plane being at least partially along a depth or axial dimension, and
• a processor configured to receive the interferometric information from the interferometer and configured to:
• process the interferometric information to generate an image of the biological sample along the imaging plane,
• the image comprising a plurality of pixels;
• and
• estimate a frequency spectrum for each of the plurality of pixels by employing time frequency analysis of temporal modulations of the interferometric information acquired at the plurality of time points,
• the temporal modulations being induced by dynamic functions of the biological sample;
• and
• generate a report that spatially maps the dynamic functions of the biological sample with the image.

A method for obtaining image data and functional data from a biological sample, the method comprising:

• acquiring, using an interferometer, interferometric information at a plurality of time points along an imaging plane,
• at least one axis of the plane being at least partially along a depth or axial dimension, and
• the interferometric information being based on radiations provided from a reference interfered with by the biological sample;
• processing, using a processor configured to receive the interferometric information from the interferometer, the interferometric information to generate an image of the biological sample along the imaging plane;
• determining, using the processor, frequency information based on the plurality of time points of the interferometric information using a dimension reduction analysis,
• the frequency information reflecting temporal modulations induced by dynamic functions of the biological sample;
• generating, using the processor, a spatial map of the frequency information with the image,
• the spatial map of the frequency information indicating the dynamic functions of the biological sample.