Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

An overview of methods to mitigate artifacts in optical coherence tomography imaging of the skin

Adabi, Saba, Fotouhi, Audrey, Xu, Qiuyun, Daveluy, Steve, Mehregan, Darius, Podoleanu, Adrian, Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza (2017) An overview of methods to mitigate artifacts in optical coherence tomography imaging of the skin. Skin Research and Technology, 24 (2). pp. 265-273. ISSN 0909-752X. E-ISSN 1600-0846. (doi:10.1111/srt.12423) (KAR id:64638)

Abstract

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of skin delivers three-dimensional images of tissue microstructures. Although OCT imaging offers a promising high-resolution modality, OCT images suffer from some artifacts that lead to misinterpretation of tissue structures. Therefore, an overview of methods to mitigate artifacts in OCT imaging of the skin is of paramount importance. Speckle, intensity decay, and blurring are three major artifacts in OCT images. Speckle is due to the low coherent light source used in the configuration of OCT. Intensity decay is a deterioration of light with respect to depth, and blurring is the consequence of deficiencies of optical components.

Method: Two speckle reduction methods (one based on artificial neural network and one based on spatial compounding), an attenuation compensation algorithm (based on Beer-Lambert law) and a deblurring procedure (using deconvolution), are described. Moreover, optical properties extraction algorithm based on extended Huygens-Fresnel (EHF) principle to obtain some additional information from OCT images are discussed.

Results: In this short overview, we summarize some of the image enhancement algorithms for OCT images which address the abovementioned artifacts. The results showed a significant improvement in the visibility of the clinically relevant features in the images. The quality improvement was evaluated using several numerical assessment measures.

Conclusion: Clinical dermatologists benefit from using these image enhancement algorithms to improve OCT diagnosis and essentially function as a noninvasive optical biopsy.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1111/srt.12423
Uncontrolled keywords: blurring correction; image enhancement; intensity decay compensation; optical coherence tomography; speckle reduction
Subjects: Q Science
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Funders: [37325] UNSPECIFIED
Depositing User: Adrian Podoleanu
Date Deposited: 23 Nov 2017 09:27 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 18:41 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/64638 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.