Fabrication of solid and long-lasting phantoms for calibrating parametric OCT imaging - Project Summary
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has revolutionized medical diagnostics by providing high-
resolution morphological imaging. However, the early stages of many diseases occur before any
morphological changes are detectable. To address this gap, the optical attenuation coefficient (OAC) has
been identified as a promising contrast mechanism to enhance OCT’s diagnostic power. Despite its
potential, traditional OCT struggles with precise OAC measurement due to multiple scattering and model
fitting uncertainties. Our parent grant aims to overcome these challenges by developing beam offset OCT
(BS-OCT), which promises accurate OAC quantification by analyzing the backscattered photon profile
(BSPP). This project will create and validate high-quality tissue phantoms to support the BS-OCT
technology, ensuring precise measurement capabilities before in vivo testing. We have two aims: Aim 1:
Fabricate and test high-quality phantoms for OAC measurement validation. Aim 2: Create multi-layer
tissue phantoms for retinal simulation and BS-OCT validation. The outcomes of this project will
significantly advance OCT technology by providing robust validation tools for BS-OCT. These phantoms
will not only support OCT but also benefit other imaging modalities, potentially becoming standard
references for the broader imaging community. Detailed documentation will be disseminated via the
NIST/NIBIB Imaging Phantom Lending Library.