System-independent assessment of OCT axial resolution with a “bar chart” phantom

Published

February 10, 2011

Author(s)

Robert C. Chang, Jeeseong Hwang, Christopher M. Stafford, Anant Agrawal, T. Joshua Pfefer, Megan Connors

Abstract

We present a novel optical phantom approach for the characterization of OCT axial resolution and contrast via multilayered “bar charts.” We explored two methods to fabricate these phantoms: the first is based on a combinatorial methods approach from polymer science to deposit monolayers of light-scattering microspheres with an intervening layer of transparent silicone, and the second involves alternating layers of scattering-enhanced silicone and transparent silicone. Varying the diameter of the microspheres and/or the thickness of the silicone layers permits different spatial frequencies to be realized in the axial dimension of the phantoms. Because the phantom’s dimensions are accurately known independent of the OCT system, no information about the system’s spatial calibration is required. We quantified the degree to which the bars in each phantom could be resolved with OCT, which provides insights into the axial contrast transfer function. We have evaluated these initial phantoms on two different OCT platforms.

Volume

7906

Conference Dates

January 22-27, 2011

Conference Location

San Francisco, CA

Conference Title

SPIE Photonics West BiOS 2011

Pub Type

Conferences

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DOI Link

Keywords

axial resolution, contrast transfer function, optical coherent tomography, optical phantom, polyelectrolytes

Citation

Chang, R. , Hwang, J. , Stafford, C. , Agrawal, A. , , T. and Connors, M. (2011), System-independent assessment of OCT axial resolution with a “bar chart” phantom, SPIE Photonics West BiOS 2011, San Francisco, CA, [online], https://doi.org/10.1117/12.880958 (Accessed October 3, 2024)