Abstract: A described example provides an ablation catheter including an elongate tubular body having spaced apart proximal and distal ends and a lumen extending through the elongate tubular body. An ablation electrode extends from the distal end of the elongate tubular body to terminate in a distal end thereof. An elongate optical imaging probe extends through the lumen of the elongate tubular body and terminates in a distal end that is spaced a distance from the distal end of the ablation electrode. A flexible tubing extends over a length of the probe and configured to permit at least rotational movement of the probe within the flexible tubing. A distal end portion of the flexible tubing can be held at an axial position relative to the elongate tubular body to fix the distance between the distal end of the probe and the distal end of the ablation electrode.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with characterizing Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) lesions using Optica Coherence Tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes acquiring an OCT signal from a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an ablated material. The example method may also include determining whether a lesion was formed by the ablation by analyzing optical properties of the ROI as recorded in the OCT signal.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with characterizing Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) lesions using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes acquiring an OCT signal from a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an ablated material. The example method may also include determining whether a lesion was formed by the ablation by analyzing optical properties of the ROI as recorded in the OCT signal.

Abstract: One example includes a scanning system. The system includes a phase-decorrelation optical coherence tomography (PhD-OCT) scanner configured to implement a scanning sequence via an optical signal on a sample medium. The system also includes a scanning controller configured to provide control signals to the PhD-OCT scanner to implement the scanning sequence and to obtain phase and amplitude information associated with a reflected version of the optical signal. The phase and amplitude information can be indicative of microscale dynamics of the sample medium. The scanning controller can also implement an algorithm to calculate a quantitative parameter of the sample medium based on the phase and amplitude information associated with the sample medium.

Abstract: A method includes storing three-dimensional image data acquired intravascularly via an optical coherence tomography (OCT) apparatus. The image data is analyzed to compute a probability estimate of stent presence at support positions appearing in an A-line. Stent strut locations are located in three-dimensional space based on the computed probability estimate of stent presence.

Abstract: One example includes a scanning system. The system includes a phase-decorrelation optical coherence tomography (PhD-OCT) scanner configured to implement a scanning sequence via an optical signal on a sample medium. The system also includes a scanning controller configured to provide control signals to the PhD-OCT scanner to implement the scanning sequence and to obtain phase and amplitude information associated with a reflected version of the optical signal. The phase and amplitude information can be indicative of microscale dynamics of the sample medium. The scanning controller can also implement an algorithm to calculate a quantitative parameter of the sample medium based on the phase and amplitude information associated with the sample medium.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with characterizing Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) lesions using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes acquiring an OCT signal from a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an ablated material. The example method may also include determining whether a lesion was formed by the ablation by analyzing optical properties of the ROI as recorded in the OCT signal.

Abstract: A device for determining the presence of abnormal fluid in a middle ear of a subject includes an elongated probe, a first light source housed within the elongated probe, and a second light source housed within the elongated probe. The elongated probe includes a distal end for inspection of an ear. The First light source is configured to convey an optical beam through a tympanic membrane associated with the middle ear of the subject, without puncturing the tympanic membrane. The second light source is configured to convey light through the distal end of the elongated probe and illuminate the tympanic membrane.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an OCT apparatus configured to generate to electromagnetic (e.g., optical) signals having two different polarization states. Two or more silicon optical amplifiers (SOAs) can be configured to maintain a respective polarization state in an optical input signal provided from a light source (e.g., a broadband light source). The different polarization states can be combined by an optical combiner (e.g., a polarization maintaining fiber coupler) and provided to drive a reference arm and a sample arm implemented in an OCT system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with characterizing Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) lesions using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes acquiring an OCT signal from a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an ablated material. The example method may also include determining whether a lesion was formed by the ablation by analyzing optical properties of the ROI as recorded in the OCT signal.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for evaluating a biomechanical property of tissue. A shear wave generator is configured to induce a shear wave in the tissue. An optical coherence tomography (OCT) imager is configured to capture a B-scan frame of the tissue. An image processing component is configured to determine a frequency of the shear wave in the tissue from the B-scan frame of the tissue at each of a plurality of locations within the B-scan. A parameter calculation component is configured to calculate a value for the biomechanical property for a plural subset of the plurality of locations within the B-scan frame of the tissue from the determined frequency of the shear wave at each of the plural subset of the plurality of locations.

Abstract: A device for determining the presence of abnormal fluid in a middle ear of a subject includes an elongated probe, a first light source housed within the elongated probe, and a second light source housed within the elongated probe. The elongated probe includes a distal end for inspection of an ear. The First light source is configured to convey an optical beam through a tympanic membrane associated with the middle ear of the subject, without puncturing the tympanic membrane. The second light source is configured to convey light through the distal end of the elongated probe and illuminate the tympanic membrane.

Abstract: A device for determining the presence of abnormal fluid in a middle ear of a subject includes an elongated probe, a first light source housed within the elongated probe, and a second light source housed within the elongated probe. The elongated probe includes a distal end for inspection of an ear. The First light source is configured to convey an optical beam through a tympanic membrane associated with the middle ear of the subject, without puncturing the tympanic membrane. The second light source is configured to convey light through the distal end of the elongated probe and illuminate the tympanic membrane.

Abstract: A method includes storing three-dimensional image data acquired intravascularly via an optical coherence tomography (OCT) apparatus. The image data is analyzed to compute a probability estimate of stent presence at support positions appearing in an A-line. Stent strut locations are located in three-dimensional space based on the computed probability estimate of stent presence.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for evaluating a biomechanical property of tissue. A shear wave generator is configured to induce a shear wave in the tissue. An optical coherence tomography (OCT) imager is configured to capture a B-scan frame of the tissue. An image processing component is configured to determine a frequency of the shear wave in the tissue from the B-scan frame of the tissue at each of a plurality of locations within the B-scan. A parameter calculation component is configured to calculate a value for the biomechanical property for a plural subset of the plurality of locations within the B-scan frame of the tissue from the determined frequency of the shear wave at each of the plural subset of the plurality of locations.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with characterizing Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) lesions using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes acquiring an OCT signal from a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an ablated material. The example method may also include determining whether a lesion was formed by the ablation by analyzing optical properties of the ROI as recorded in the OCT signal.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with characterizing Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) lesions using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes acquiring an OCT signal from a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an ablated material. The example method may also include determining whether a lesion was formed by the ablation by analyzing optical properties of the ROI as recorded in the OCT signal.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an OCT apparatus configured to generate to electromagnetic (e.g., optical) signals having two different polarization states. Two or more silicon optical amplifiers (SOAs) can be configured to maintain a respective polarization state in an optical input signal provided from a light source (e.g., a broadband light source). The different polarization states can be combined by an optical combiner (e.g., a polarization maintaining fiber coupler) and provided to drive a reference arm and a sample arm implemented in an OCT system.

Abstract: A device for determining the presence of abnormal fluid in a middle ear of a subject includes an elongated probe, a first light source housed within the elongated probe, and a second light source housed within the elongated probe. The elongated probe includes a distal end for inspection of an ear. The First light source is configured to convey an optical beam through a tympanic membrane associated with the middle ear of the subject, without puncturing the tympanic membrane. The second light source is configured to convey light through the distal end of the elongated probe and illuminate the tympanic membrane.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extracting the vector optical properties of biological samples with micron-scale resolution in three dimensions, using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT). The method measures net retardance, net fast axis, and reflectivity. Polarization sensing is accomplished by illuminating the sample with at least three separate polarization states, using consecutive acquisitions of the same pixel, A-scan, or B-scan. The method can be implemented using non-polarization-maintaining fiber and a single detector. This PS-OCT method reported measures fast axis explicitly. In a calibration test of the system, net retardance was measured with an average error of 7.5° (standard deviation) 2.2° over the retardance range 0° to 180°, and fast axis with average error of 4.8° over the range 0° to 180°.