Abstract: The present invention features a method for automated image-based prediction of physiologic and pathologic conditions of a vaginal wall of a patient using optical coherence tomography. In some embodiments, the method may comprise capturing, by a functional optical coherence tomography imaging probe, one or more images of the vaginal wall. The method may further comprise constructing a computing device a visualization of the vaginal wall, discretizing the visualization of the vaginal wall in to a discrete model, measuring a plurality of objective attributes from the discrete model, generating, based on the plurality of objective attributes, a Vaginal Health Index (VHI), generating an associated risk value based on the VHI and a plurality of patient attributes, reconstructing the visualization of the vaginal wall based on the associated risk value, and mapping the associated risk value to the visualization of the vaginal wall such that one or more at-risk areas are highlighted.

Abstract: An in vivo optical biopsy applicator of the vaginal wall for treatment planning, monitoring, and imaging guided therapy is described herein. The applicator may include an imaging probe operatively coupled to a laser ablation device. The applicator allows for non-invasive optical tissue monitoring in order to define pre- and post menopausal parameters, pre- and post-treatment microscopic changes, and offers an objective scientific tool in order to compare currently available medical, non-medicated, and energy-based treatment protocols.

Abstract: The present invention describes a scheme of reconfiguring an ordinary OCT system to a PS-OCT variant. In this scheme, a polarization mode-dependent optical delay (PMOD) unit is inserted at the sample arm of the OCT interferometer. As a consequence of its large retardation, the resulted OCT image contains a plurality of image replicas separated by the group delay difference of the polarization modes. The polarization-sensitive interference can be analyzed by the amplitude ratios between the replicated images. Because of the simplicity of this method, an ordinary OCT system can be easily and cost-effectively reconfigured to add a useful PS-OCT imaging function. This method can be applied to any low coherence interferometric technique such as spectral-domain OCT, time-domain OCT, and spectral-encoded microscopy.

Abstract: An in vivo optical biopsy applicator of the vaginal wall for treatment planning, monitoring, and imaging guided therapy is described herein. The applicator may include an imaging probe operatively coupled to a laser ablation device. The applicator allows for non-invasive optical tissue monitoring in order to define pre- and post menopausal parameters, pre- and post-treatment microscopic changes, and offers an objective scientific tool in order to compare currently available medical, non-medicated, and energy-based treatment protocols.