Abstract

We demonstrated intravascular OCT imaging with frame rate up to 3.2 kHz (192,000 rpm scanning). This was achieved by using a custom-built catheter in which the circumferential scanning was actuated by a 1.0 mm diameter synchronous motor. The OCT system was based on a Fourier Domain Mode Locked laser operating at an A-line rate of 1.6 MHz. The diameter of the catheter was 1.1 mm at the tip. Ex vivo images of human coronary artery (~78.4 mm length) were acquired at a pullback speed of 100 mm/s. True 3D volumetric imaging of the entire artery, with adequate sampling in all dimensions, was performed in < 1 second acquisition time.

© 2013 SPIE