Real Time Inverse Scattering for Optical Coherence Tomography

A critical challenge today in neuro-surgery is the determination of tumor boundaries intraoperatively. There are means of doing this using high-resolution MRI machines, however, these can be prohibitively costly. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) offers a promising, cheaper, label-free alternative. However, the basic models used for clinical, real-time OCT limit its usefulness and depth of focus. This work will develop a type of image reconstruction that includes digital focusing and anisotropic properties. This will extract more optical information than is currently possible, as well as improving focus using only computational techniques, all in real-time. This would significantly improve current OCT systems as well as their prospects for intraoperative tumor boundary detection.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kieran Murphy

Student:

John MacNeil

Partner:

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

University of Toronto

Program: