Variable resolution optical coherence tomography scanner and method for using same

摘要

The invention relates generally to optical tomographic imaging and in particular to systems and methods for adapting the resolution of imaging. One embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for optical coherence tomography imaging, characterized by its ability to vary the axial resolution and scanning speed during imaging.

主权项

1. A swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) system generating images of the eye comprising:
a light source for generating a probe beam designed to sweep a bandwidth of optical frequencies; optics for scanning the beam across the eye; a detector for measuring light returned from the eye; and, a processor for generating images of the eye based on the output of the detector over a sampling of frequencies, said SS-OCT system having a first mode and a second mode, wherein the variation in wavelength per unit time is the same for both modes so that the sampling densities in both modes are the same but wherein the number of sampled frequencies used to generate the image of the eye during the second mode is less than the number of sampled frequencies used to generate the image of the eye during the first mode such that the images in the first mode have a different axial resolution than the images in the second mode.