Optical imaging apparatus with spectral detector

• US 7,649,629 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optos Plc (Nikon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: OTI Ophthalmic Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Hathaway, Mark, Rogers, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Tarifur
• Assistant Examiner(s): COOK, JONATHON
• Application Number:
  US11/868,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 356/477, 356/479, 356/497
• US Class Current: 356/479
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/102 for optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2290/45 Multiple detectors for detecting interferometer signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/0203 With imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02044 Imaging in the frequency domain, e.g. by using a spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02089 Displaying the signal, e.g. for user interaction
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4795 spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium in vivo A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6456 Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging

Abstract

Apparatus for obtaining depth profile information from a transparent object, includes a confocal scanner for producing an en-face image of the object in an x-y plane, a spectral optical coherence tomography (OCT) apparatus for producing an OCT scan along at least one line in the z direction passing through a point in the x-y plane, and a display device. A processing unit displays on the display device the en-face image and an indication of the position of the point so as to permit the location of the OCT scan to be determined on the en-face image. The position point can be adjusted by the user when viewing the image. In other embodiments, SLO and OCT images are produced from a common aperture, and spectral OCT images are produced simultaneously with fluorescence images.

Claims

1. An optical imaging apparatus for obtaining depth profile information from a transparent object, comprising:

a spectral optical coherence tomography (OCT) apparatus for generating a sample beam for transversely scanning said object;

a dual port coupler for combining the sample beam returned from the object with a reference beam to produce respective output beams at a pair of output ports;

a spectrometer coupled to one of said output ports for producing spectral OCT data from light from said sample beam returned from said object along at least one line extending in a longitudinal direction;

a confocal detector coupled to the other of said output ports for producing an en-face image of the object in a transverse plane from said light from said sample beam returned from said object;

a processing unit generating OCT image data along said at least one line from said spectral OCT data;

said processing unit being configured to display said en-face image;

a selection device for selecting a point or line on said en-face image; and

said processing unit being configured to display a portion of said OCT image data corresponding to said point or line of said en-face image.

2. An optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image data is a line of data extending through a selected point on said en-face image to produce an A scan.

3. An optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image data is a frame of data extending through a selected line on said en-face image to produce a B scan sectional display through said line.

4. An optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said processing unit is configured to create frames of en-face confocal image data interleaved with frames of OCT image data.

5. An optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a focussing arrangement focuses the light returned from said object onto a common aperture for said confocal detector and said spectrometer.

6. An optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said common aperture is provide by an optic fiber.

7. An optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said optic fiber is a single mode fiber.

8. An optical imaging apparatus comprising:

an interferometer for generating a sample beam and a reference beam;

a scanner for scanning a transparent or semi-transparent object with said sample beam;

a dual port coupler for combining the sample beam returned from the object with the reference beam to produce respective output beams at a pair of output ports;

a confocal detector at one of said output ports;

a spectrometer at the other of said output ports for producing a spectral OCT signal;

a processing unit for generating OCT image data along at least one line extending longitudinally into the sample from said spectral OCT signal;

said processing unit being configured to display an en-face confocal image from said confocal detector;

a selection device for selecting a point or line on said en-face confocal image; and

said processing unit being configured to display a portion of said OCT image data corresponding to said point or line of said en-face image.

9. Optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said coupler is a fiber optic coupler, with optic fiber inputs and outputs.

10. Optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sample and reference beam are carried in optical fibers within the interferometer.

11. Optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said confocal image frames are en-face image frames, and said OCT image frames correspond to B-scan sectional images extending in a longitudinal direction.

12. Optical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said selection device is a computer mouse.

13. Optical imaging apparatus comprising:

an interferometer for generating a sample beam to scan a sample in a raster pattern;

a dual port coupler for combining the sample beam returned from the object with a reference beam to produce respective output beams at a pair of output ports;

a fluorescence detector coupled to one of said output ports for producing a signal from fluorescent light produced within the sample by said sample beam;

a spectrometer coupled to the other of said output ports for deriving an OCT (optical coherence tomography) signal from beam returned by the sample;

a processor for producing fluorescent image frames from the signal produced by the fluorescence detector and OCT cross sectional images (B-scans) behind each scanning line of the raster pattern, said OCT cross sectional images being obtained by analyzing the spectral composition of the beam returned by the sample; and

a display for displaying the fluorescence images and OCT cross sectional images in association with the corresponding fluorescence images.