Development of cellular resolution Gabor-domain optical coherence microscopy for biomedical applications

We have developed a cellular resolution imaging modality, Gabor-Domain Optical Coherence Microscopy, which combines the high lateral resolution of confocal microscopy with the high sectioning capability of optical coherence tomography to image deep layers in tissues with high-contrast and volumetric resolution of 2 μm. A novelty of the custom microscope is the biomimetics that incorporates a liquid lens, as in whales's eyes, for robust and rapid acquisition of volumetric imaging of deep layers in tissue down to 2 mm, thus overcoming the tradeoff between lateral resolution and depth of focus. The system incorporates a handheld scanning optical imaging head and fits on a movable cart that offers the flexibility in different biomedical applications and clinical settings, including ophthalmology. In the later, the microscope has successfully revealed micro-structures within the cornea and in particular the endothelial cells microenvironment, an important step in understanding the mechanisms of Fuchs' dystrophy, a leading cause of the loss of corneal transparency. Also, the system was able to provide high definition of the edge of soft contact lenses, which is important for the fitting of the lens and the comfort of the patient. Overall, the imaging modality provides the opportunity to observe the three-dimensional features of different structures with micrometer resolution, which opens a wide range of future applications.