Molecular contrast in optical coherence tomography by use of a pump-probe technique

Opt Lett. 2003 Mar 1;28(5):340-2. doi: 10.1364/ol.28.000340.

Abstract

We describe a novel technique for contrast enhancement in optical coherence tomography (OCT) that makes possible molecular-specific imaging for what is believed to be the first time. A pump-probe technique is employed in which a pulsed pump laser is tuned to ground-state absorption in a molecule of interest. The location of the target molecule population is derived from the resulting transient absorption of OCT sample-arm light acting as probe light. A signal processing technique for three-dimensional localization of the transient absorption signal is described, and preliminary results exhibiting OCT contrast from methylene blue dye in multilayer and scattering phantoms are presented.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Contrast Media*
  • Lasers*
  • Methylene Blue*
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Optics and Photonics*
  • Tomography / methods*

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Methylene Blue