MET
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive, non-contact imaging modality based on coherence gating where the short coherence length of a broadband light source is used in an interferometer to obtain micrometer-scale, cross-sectional imaging of biological tissue. The high spatial resolution of the OCT structural image enables noninvasive in vivo "optical biopsy" and provides immediate and localized tissue structure information. Functional OCT (F-OCT) is extension of OCT for functional imaging of tissue physiology to enhance the diagnostic capability of OCT.
F-OCT represents the very essence of the NIH technology center program: the technology has been transformed from laboratory into a useful translational clinical research device. Current collaborative projects are driving the need to improve the performance for specific applications in cardiovascular vessel, retina, airway, oral cavity, GI tract, skin, cartilage as well as other tissues.
