Multi-Clad Fiber OCT Imaging for Multipath Artifact Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber optic imaging systems using multi-clad fibers face challenges with multipath artifacts due to ghost images from time-shifted multipath artifacts, which are difficult to mitigate in endoscopic applications with constrained sample arm lengths, particularly in optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating multipath image data by extracting fundamental and higher order mode image data from OCT image data using a multi-clad fiber (MCF) that introduces a phase delay and spatial or angular offset between the MCF and the OCT fiber, allowing for the separation and processing of these modes to generate diagnostic image data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multi-clad fiber is used to support multiple imaging modalities, then imaging versatility is improved, but multipath artifacts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image data into different components based on time delays. By dividing the OCT image data into early-arriving light components (direct path) and late-arriving light components (multipath), the system can process and eliminate multipath artifacts while preserving the useful imaging information from multiple modalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the multipath artifact components from the total image data. By identifying the characteristic time delays of multipath artifacts and extracting only those components, the system eliminates the harmful artifacts while maintaining the versatility of multi-clad fiber imaging.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If long length of DCF is used to mitigate multipath artifacts, then artifact reduction is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical solution of using long fiber lengths with a signal processing approach. Instead of physically extending the fiber to increase time delay separation, the system uses computational methods to analyze and separate light paths based on their arrival times, thereby reducing device complexity while achieving artifact mitigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of fiber length from a physical constraint to a processed variable. By analyzing the time delay parameter in the received signal rather than relying on physical fiber length, the system can effectively mitigate multipath artifacts without requiring long fiber lengths, thus reducing device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If DCF is used instead of SMF, then multi-type imaging is enabled, but image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step between the multi-clad fiber and the final image output. By using signal processing algorithms that act as intermediaries to separate and clean the image data, the system recovers the image quality that would otherwise be degraded by multipath artifacts, while maintaining the multi-type imaging capability of DCF.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a corrected version of the image data by copying and processing the raw OCT signals. Through computational reconstruction that separates multipath components, the system generates a high-quality image copy that eliminates the degradation inherent in direct DCF imaging while preserving the versatility benefits.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the effective separation and processing of fundamental and higher order mode image data, reducing multipath artifacts and improving the quality of diagnostic images in fiber optic imaging systems.
Implementation Method 1
A multi-clad fiber (MCF) that introduces a phase delay and spatial or angular offset between the MCF and the OCT fiber
Implementation Method 2
an optical joint for coupling the sampled light from the MCF into the OCT fiber, the optical joint configured to couple at least some light energy from both the fundamental MCF mode and the one or more higher order MCF modes into a fundamental mode of the OCT fiber
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber optic imaging system generates multipath image data. The system comprises: an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system comprising an OCT fiber optically connected to an interferometric detector; a multi-clad fiber (MCF) for receiving sampled light that has interacted with a sample and propagating the sampled light as a fundamental MCF mode and one or more higher order MCF modes; and an optical joint for coupling the sampled light from the MCF into the OCT fiber, the optical joint configured to couple at least some light energy from both the fundamental MCF mode and the one or more higher order MCF modes into a fundamental mode of the OCT fiber where the at least some light energy propagates as OCT return light.