title: Analyzing quantitative light scattering spectra of phantoms measured with optical coherence tomography.
abstract: We demonstrate the ability of multiple forms of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the frequency domain to quantitatively size scatterers. Combined with a variety of distinct phantoms, we gain insight into the measurement uncertainties associated with using scattering spectra to size scatterers. We size spherical scatterers on a surface using swept-source OCT with an analysis based on a simple slab-mode resonance model. Automating this technique, a two-dimensional (2-D) image is created by raster scanning across a surface phantom designed to have a distinct size transition to demonstrate accuracy and repeatability. We also investigate the potential of a novel sphere-nanotube structure as a quantitative calibration artifact for use in comparing measured intensity and phase scattering spectra directly to Mie theory predictions. In another experiment, we demonstrate tissue-relevant sizing of scatterers as small as 5 microm on a surface by use of a Fourier domain OCT system with 280 nm of bandwidth from a supercontinuum source. We perform an uncertainty analysis for our high-resolution sizing system, estimating a sizing error of 9% for measurements of spheres with a diameter of 15 microm. With appropriate modifications, our uncertainty analysis has general applicability to other sizing techniques utilizing scattering spectra.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA. tasshi@boulder.nist.gov
authors.forename: Tasshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Shellee D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dienstfrey
authors.forename: Gurpreet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rice
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*