Sensing and three-dimensional imaging of cochlea and surrounding temporal bone using swept source high-speed optical coherence tomography

Abstract

We describe a novel dual-functional optical coherence tomography (OCT) system with both a fiber probe using a sapphire ball lens for cross-sectional imaging and sensing, and a 3-D bulk scanner for 3-D OCT imaging. A theoretical sensitivity model for Common Path (CP)-OCT was proposed to assess its optimal performance based on an unbalanced photodetector configuration. A probe design with working distances (WD) 415μm and lateral resolution 11 μm was implemented with sensitivity up to 88dB. To achieve high-speed data processing and real-time three-dimensional visualization, we use graphics processing unit (GPU) based real-time signal processing and visualization to boost the computing performance of swept source optical coherence tomography. Both the basal turn and facial nerve bundles inside the cadaveric human cochlea temporal bone can be clearly identified and 3D images can be rendered with the OCT system, which was integrated with a flexible robotic arm for robotically assisted microsurgery.