Recently, we introduced a novel Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) method, termed as Master Slave OCT (MS-OCT), specialized for delivering en-face images. This method uses principles of spectral domain interfereometry in two stages. MS-OCT operates like a time domain OCT, selecting only signals from a chosen depth only while scanning the laser beam across the eye. Time domain OCT allows real time production of an en-face image, although relatively slowly. As a major advance, the Master Slave method allows collection of signals from any number of depths, as required by the user. The tremendous advantage in terms of parallel provision of data from numerous depths could not be fully employed by using multi core processors only. The data processing required to generate images at multiple depths simultaneously is not achievable with commodity multicore processors only. We compare here the major improvement in processing and display, brought about by using graphic cards. We demonstrate images obtained with a swept source at 100 kHz (which determines an acquisition time [T_a] for a frame of 200×200 pixels² of T_a =1.6 s). By the end of the acquired frame being scanned, using our computing capacity, 4 simultaneous en-face images could be created in T = 0.8 s. We demonstrate that by using graphic cards, 32 en-face images can be displayed in T_d 0.3 s. Other faster swept source engines can be used with no difference in terms of T_d. With 32 images (or more), volumes can be created for 3D display, using en-face images, as opposed to the current technology where volumes are created using cross section OCT images.

Date Published: 20 March 2015
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 9307, Ophthalmic Technologies XXV, 93071C (20 March 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2078956

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9307:
Ophthalmic Technologies XXV
Fabrice Manns; Per G. Söderberg; Arthur Ho, Editor(s)