title: Myocardial imaging using ultrahigh-resolution spectral domain optical coherence tomography.
abstract: We present an ultrahigh-resolution spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) system in 800 nm with a low-noise supercontinuum source (SC) optimized for myocardial imaging. The system was demonstrated to have an axial resolution of 2.72  μm with a large imaging depth of 1.78 mm and a 6-dB falloff range of 0.89 mm. The lateral resolution (5.52  μm) was compromised to enhance the image penetration required for myocardial imaging. The noise of the SC source was analyzed extensively and an imaging protocol was proposed for SC-based OCT imaging with appreciable contrast. Three-dimensional datasets were acquired ex vivo on the endocardium side of tissue specimens from different chambers of fresh human and swine hearts. With the increased resolution and contrast, features such as elastic fibers, Purkinje fibers, and collagen fiber bundles were observed. The correlation between the structural information revealed in the OCT images and tissue pathology was discussed as well.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, Department of Electrical Engineering, 500 West 120th Street, New York, New York 10027, United States.
authors.forename: Xinwen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, Department of Electrical Engineering, 500 West 120th Street, New York, New York 10027, United States.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.affiliation: Columbia University Medical Center, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, 630 West 168th Street, New York, New York 10032, United States.
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Marboe
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, Department of Electrical Engineering, 500 West 120th Street, New York, New York 10027, United States.
authors.forename: Christine P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hendon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007909:Lenses; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013552:Swine; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000295:instrumentation*