Abstract: A treatment apparatus for treating a skin lesion on skin of a patient, the apparatus comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation (16), a guide (6, 20) to guide the electromagnetic radiation to the skin lesion (25) and a control apparatus (1), the control apparatus (1) being arranged so as to cause the source (16) and the guide (6, 20) to: provide an initial burst of electromagnetic radiation to the skin lesion (25) to heat it to a first temperature selected by the control apparatus (1); cease providing electromagnetic radiation to the skin lesion (25) for a period; and provide a further burst of electromagnetic radiation to the skin lesion (25) so as to maintain the temperature of the skin lesion within a temperature range selected by the control apparatus (1). The apparatus may comprise a temperature sensor (24) which detects the temperature of the patient's skin, typically the skin lesion.

Abstract: A treatment apparatus for treating a skin lesion on skin of a patient, the apparatus comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation (16), a guide (6, 20) to guide the electromagnetic radiation to the skin lesion (25) and a control apparatus (1), the control apparatus (1) being arranged so as to cause the source (16) and the guide (6, 20) to: provide an initial burst of electromagnetic radiation to the skin lesion (25) to heat it to a first temperature selected by the control apparatus (1); cease providing electromagnetic radiation to the skin lesion (25) for a period; and provide a further burst of electromagnetic radiation to the skin lesion (25) so as to maintain the temperature of the skin lesion within a temperature range selected by the control apparatus (1). The apparatus may comprise a temperature sensor (24) which detects the temperature of the patient’s skin, typically the skin lesion.

Abstract: A method of processing optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans through a subject's skin, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of scans through the subject's skin, the scans representing an OCT signal in slices through the user's skin at different times; comparing the scans to determine time-varying regions in the scans; determining a depth-distribution of the time varying regions.

Abstract: A method of processing optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans, comprising: receiving OCT data comprising an OCT signal indicative of the level of scattering in a sample, the OCT data including the OCT signal for at least one scan through the sample, with the OCT signal having been measured at varying depth and position through the sample in each scan; processing the OCT data for each scan with depth to produce a indicative depth scan representative of the OCT signal at each depth through all of the scans; fitting a curve to the indicative depth scan, the curve comprising a first term which exponentially decays with respect to the depth and a second term which depends on the noise in the OCT signal; and calculating a compensated intensity for the OCT signal at each point through each scan, the compensated intensity comprising a ratio of a term comprising a logarithm of the OCT signal to a term comprising the logarithm of the fitted curve.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for processing optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans through a subject's skin. The method includes receiving at least one OCT scan through the subject's skin, each scan representing an OCT signal in a slice through the subject's skin. Each OCT scan is processed so as to determine the presence of at least one blood vessel in each scan. A diameter is determined of at least one of the at least one blood vessels whose presence has been determined. A depth profile is determined of blood vessel density for different vessel diameters.

Abstract: A method of processing optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans, comprising: receiving OCT data comprising an OCT signal indicative of the level of scattering in a sample, the OCT data including the OCT signal for at least one scan through the sample, with the OCT signal having been measured at varying depth and position through the sample in each scan; processing the OCT data for each scan with depth to produce a indicative depth scan representative of the OCT signal at each depth through all of the scans; fitting a curve to the indicative depth scan, the curve comprising a first term which exponentially decays with respect to the depth and a second term which depends on the noise in the OCT signal; and calculating a compensated intensity for the OCT signal at each point through each scan, the compensated intensity comprising a ratio of a term comprising a logarithm of the OCT signal to a term comprising the logarithm of the fitted curve.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for processing optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans through a subject's skin (7), the method comprising: receiving at least one OCT scan through the subject's skin (7), each scan representing an OCT signal in a slice through the subject's skin; processing each OCT scan so as to determine the presence of at least one blood vessel (9) in each scan; determining a diameter of at least one of the at least one blood vessels (9) whose presence has been determined; and typically determining a depth profile of blood vessel density for different vessel diameters.

Abstract: A method of processing optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of a subject's skin (7), the skin (7) having a surface (8), the method comprising capturing a plurality of scans through the subject's skin (7), the scans representing an OCT signal in slices through the user's skin (7) in parallel planes, the scans being offset from one another along a direction perpendicular to the parallel planes, the method comprising determining the position of the surface (8) of the skin (7) in each scan and displaying the scans to a user with an indication (9) indicative of a predetermined depth below the surface (8) of the skin (7) visible to the user.

Abstract: A detector circuit for a multi-channel interferometer, typically as may be used in an optical coherence tomography device, comprising: a plurality of measurement channels (43) each comprising a measurement detector (31); and a balance channel (44) comprising a balance detector (30), each of the measurement detectors (31) and the balance detector (30) having a light sensitive area and an electrical output configured to output a signal indicative of the intensity of light incident on the light sensitive area, in which each measurement channel (43) is provided with a feedback circuit (40) comprising: a variable gain circuit (35) having an input for the signal from the measurement detector (31) and an output, the variable gain circuit (35) being configured to output at its output the signal received at its input with a variable level of gain; a difference circuit (38) having a first input for the output of the variable gain circuit (35), a second input for the signal from the balance detector (30) and an output,

Abstract: A detector circuit for a multi-channel interferometer, typically as may be used in an optical coherence tomography device, comprising: a plurality of measurement channels (43) each comprising a measurement detector (31); and a balance channel (44) comprising a balance detector (30), each of the measurement detectors (31) and the balance detector (30) having a light sensitive area and an electrical output configured to output a signal indicative of the intensity of light incident on the light sensitive area, in which each measurement channel (43) is provided with a feedback circuit (40) comprising: a variable gain circuit (35) having an input for the signal from the measurement detector (31) and an output, the variable gain circuit (35) being configured to output at its output the signal received at its input with a variable level of gain; a difference circuit (38) having a first input for the output of the variable gain circuit (35), a second input for the signal from the balance detector (30) and an output,