IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING METHOD USING OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY
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Abstract
Provided is an imaging apparatus using Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography, the imaging apparatus removing noises caused by the autocorrelation component of returning light to obtain a high-resolution tomographic image. A first switching unit 17 switches a first state in which returning light 12 is combined with reference light (a state in which the returning light 12 is conducted to a combining unit 22) and a second state different from the first state (a state in which the light path of the returning light 12 is blocked or changed). A controlling unit 18 controls the switching unit 17 to change the first and the second state. A interferometric information acquiring unit 19 acquires interferometric information on the returning light 12 and the reference light 14 using the reference light 14 or the returning light 12 detected by the detecting unit 16 in the second state and the combined light 15.
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Citations
71 Claims
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1-16. -16. (canceled)
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17. An imaging apparatus for imaging an object using Fourier domain optical coherence tomography, the imaging apparatus comprising:
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a detecting unit for detecting combined light comprising a returning light from the object and a reference light; a switching unit for switching between a first state in which the detecting unit can detect the combined light and a second state in which the detecting unit can detect the reference light; an acquiring unit for acquiring interferometric information on the returning light and the reference light by using the combined light detected by the detecting unit in the first state and the reference light detected by the detecting unit in the second state; and a controlling unit for controlling the switching unit such that the reference light is detected in the second state after processing for acquiring the interferometric information is started and the second state is switched to the first state after the reference light is detected in the second state. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 32, 33, 68, 69)
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26. An imaging method for imaging an object using a Fourier domain optical coherence tomography, the imaging method comprising:
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detecting combined light comprising a returning light from the object and a reference light; switching between a first state in which the combined light can be detected and a second state in which the reference light can be detected; and acquiring interferometric information on the returning light and the reference light by using the combined light detected in the first state and the reference light detected in the second state, wherein the reference light is detected in the second state after processing for acquiring the interferometric information is started and the second state is switched to the first state after the reference light is detected in the second state. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 70, 71)
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34. An imaging apparatus for imaging an object a retina of an eye using Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography, the imaging apparatus comprising:
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a scanning unit for scanning a measuring light on the retina, with a cornea of the eye as a fulcrum; a detecting unit for detecting combined light comprising a returning light from the retina and a reference light; a first switching unit for switching between a first state in which the detecting unit can detect the combined light and a second state in which the detecting unit can detect the reference light; an interferometric information acquiring unit for acquiring interferometric information on the returning light and the reference light by using the combined light detected by the detecting unit in the first state and the reference light detected in the second state; a light quantity detecting unit for detecting the quantity of a measuring light to be irradiated on the retina; and a comparing unit for comparing the detected light quantity with a predetermined value, wherein when a measuring light quantity is different from the predetermined value, the first switching unit switches to the second state by blocking the measuring light.
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35. An imaging method for imaging a retina of an eye using a Fourier domain optical coherence tomography, the imaging method comprising:
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scanning a measuring light on the retina, with a cornea of the eye as a fulcrum; switching between (a) a first state in which combined light comprising a returning light from the retina and a reference light can be detected and (b) a second state in which the reference light can be detected; obtaining interferometric information on the returning light and the reference light by using the combined light detected in the first state and the reference light detected in the second state; detecting the light quantity of the measuring light to be irradiated on the retina; and changing to the second state by blocking the measuring light when the light quantity is different from a predetermined light quantity. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67)
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36. An imaging apparatus for imaging a retina of an eye using Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography, comprising:
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a scanning unit for scanning a measuring light on the retina, with a cornea of the eye as a fulcrum; a detecting unit for detecting one of (a) reference light and (b) combined light into which returning light obtained by radiating measuring light to the retina and reference light corresponding to a measuring light are combined; a first switching unit for switching between a first state in which the detecting unit can detect the combined light and a second state in which the detecting unit can detect the reference light; a determining unit for determining whether or not a measuring light quantity is no more than a predetermined value; a controlling unit for controlling the first switching unit such that in a case where the determining unit determines that the measuring light quantity is no more than the predetermined value, the first switching unit switches from the second state to the first state; and a tomographic image acquiring unit for acquiring, after the detecting unit detects the combined light in the first state, a tomographic image in which information based on an intensity of the reference light is cut down from information of a tomographic image obtained based on an intensity of the combined light. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 60)
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48. An imaging method for imaging a retina of an eye using a Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography, the imaging method comprising:
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scanning a measuring light on the retina, with a cornea of the eye as a fulcrum; detecting, by using a detecting unit, one of (a) reference light and (b) combined light into which returning light obtained by radiating measuring light to the retina and reference light corresponding to a measuring light are combined; determining whether or not a measuring light quantity is no more than a predetermined value; switching, in a case where in the determining step it is determined that the measuring light quantity is no more than the predetermined value, to a first state in which the combined light can be detected from a second state in which the reference light can be detected; and acquiring, after the detecting unit detects the combined light in the first state, a tomographic image in which information based on an intensity of the reference light is cut down from information of a tomographic image obtained based on an intensity of the combined light. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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59. (canceled)
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65. (canceled)
Specification