Abstract
Purpose: :
To demonstrate the capability of joint spectral and time domain optical coherence tomography to visualize in real-time three-dimensional vascular structure along with quantitative blood flow in the retina of the human eye in-vivo. To demonstrate measurement protocols that allow for velocity distribution assessment with high sensitivity at high acquisition speeds needed for three-dimensional real-time observation of retinal blood flow.
Methods: :
The specialized measurement protocols and advanced data-processing techniques that base on Spectral and Time domain Optical Coherence Tomography has been developed and applied to data obtained from healthy volunteers. Novel methods of analysis and visualization of the segmented vascular structure has been introduced. All data presented in this contribution are obtained with the prototype high-resolution, high-speed Spectral OCT system acquiring 120 000 ascans/s, constructed at the Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland.
Results: :
In-vivo real-time, ultrahigh resolution OCT imaging has been performed in 10 eyes of 5 healthy volunteers. In all cases the blood flow in three-dimensional vascular net in the macular region of the retina as well as in the proximity of the optic disk is observed in real-time. We also present two-dimensional fundus-like maps indicating the direction and velocity value of blood flow.
Conclusions: :
Using three-dimensional joint spectral and time domain OCT and novel analysis tools we were able to visualize three-dimensional blood flow in real-time. We believe that the novel technology can provide a better understanding of retinal functions as well as facilitate aiming OCT system at diagnostically important points in retinal diseases connected with blood flow disorders. Our method enables significantly better visualization of three-dimensional vascular structure than was previously possible.
Keywords: imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • retina