title: Averaging techniques for OCT imaging.
abstract: State-of-the-art Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows for the acquisition of up to millions of spectral fringes per second. This large amount of data can be used to improve the quality of structural tomograms after effective averaging. Here, we compare three OCT image improvement techniques: magnitude averaging, complex averaging, and spectral and time domain OCT (STdOCT). We evaluate the performance for images on both linear and logarithmic intensity scales and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. We propose the use of the STdOCT approach as it offers the best advantages. Applications to in vivo imaging and speckle reduction are presented.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5, 87-100 Torun, Poland. maciej.szkulmowski@fizyka.umk.pl
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szkulmowski
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wojtkowski
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*