title: Review of speckle and phase variance optical coherence tomography to visualize microvascular networks.
abstract: High-resolution mapping of microvasculature has been applied to diverse body systems, including the retinal and choroidal vasculature, cardiac vasculature, the central nervous system, and various tumor models. Many imaging techniques have been developed to address specific research questions, and each has its own merits and drawbacks. Understanding, optimization, and proper implementation of these imaging techniques can significantly improve the data obtained along the spectrum of unique research projects to obtain diagnostic clinical information. We describe the recently developed algorithms and applications of two general classes of microvascular imaging techniques: speckle-variance and phase-variance optical coherence tomography (OCT). We compare and contrast their performance with Doppler OCT and optical microangiography. In addition, we highlight ongoing work in the development of variance-based techniques to further refine the characterization of microvascular networks.
authors.affiliation: Ryerson University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada.
authors.forename: Mohammad Sultan
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mahmud
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Cadotte
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vuong
authors.forename: Carry
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Timothy W H
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Luk
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mariampillai
authors.forename: Victor X D
authors.initials: VX
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D055806:Microvessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence