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'OMICRON' collaboration announces OCT images at 1 micron
A UK collaboration, led by UK optical imaging company Michelson Diagnostics (MDL), has produced its first Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images at the new wavelength of 1 micron, providing improved resolution and contrast.
To date, most imaging of skin tissue has been done at the longer wavelength of 1.3 µm. The shorter wavelength of 1 µm requires development of new laser and optical technology.
Leading OCT researcher Professor Wolfgang Drexler, Director of Research at the University of Cardiff School of Optometry and Vision Science, said "We believe that images acquired at 1?m wavelength will offer improved contrast and resolution that will help clinicians to distinguish between healthy and cancerous tissue."
The initial images of healthy skin tissue, obtained with an MDL OCT Microscope converted to 1 µm, appear to support this view. Features such as capillaries and the boundaries between tissue layers are more clearly defined.
Further work in 2009 will concentrate on increasing the laser power, for more depth penetration, and on evaluating and analysing images of cancerous tissue taken with the new probe.
The collaboration is between MDL, University of Cardiff, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, National Physical Laboratory, semiconductor specialist Kamelian and medical imaging systems specialist Tactiq.
The project, funded in 2007 by the UKs Technology Strategy Board, is titled 'OMICRON', and is focused on development of an in-vivo imaging probe, using OCT, to obtain high resolution sub-surface images of cancerous tissue, operating at the new, untried wavelength of 1?m.
Clinicians frequently take biopsy samples of tissue for laboratory analysis by pathologists when diagnosing, assessing, treating and monitoring cancer. This can be inefficient, expensive and time-consuming. The biopsy may be poorly targeted on the tumour, and results from the analysis can take weeks to come back.
Dr Nick Stone, Head of Biophotonics at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, added "OCT scanning has the exciting potential of both guiding and reducing the dependence on biopsies, which could speed up cancer diagnosis and treatment, reducing the pressure on overloaded pathology departments, and improve outcomes from cancer surgery."
Images
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Figure 1: OCT image of skin on finger, at knuckle, obtained at 1 micron. Scale bar is 1 mm. Capillaries are arrowed. |
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Figure 2: Comparative OCT image of skin on finger, at knuckle, obtained at conventional wavelength of 1.3 micron: Scale bar is 1 mm. |
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