OCT Offers Real Time Imaging at the Point of Care

A new imaging modality may be getting ready to join the ranks of X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI and nuclear imaging. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is similar to B-mode ultrasound and produces 2-D, cross-sectional, high-resolution images of tissue and microstructure using near infrared light, opposed to sound. The images are acquired in real-time and the spatial resolution is 50 to 100 times better than ultrasound. Currently, OCT is being marketed in globally as the Niris Imaging System from Imalux Corp.
With OCT, physicians can visualize in real time below the tissue surface at a spatial resolution better than that currently available in point-of-care imaging systems. The Niris Imaging System depth range of up to 1.6 mm is comparable to the depth of many biopsies, which is the gold standard in the diagnosis of many diseases, including cancer. This depth is adequate to visualize most epithelial linings such as the urinary and gastrointestinal tracts where dysplastic changes begin.