Endoscopically guided spectral-domain OCT with double-balloon catheters

Abstract

Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and balloon-based catheters have furthered the potential of OCT as a real-time surveillance tool for Barrett’s esophagus (BE). However, a balloon catheter, which expands the esophagus and centers the catheter, applies direct pressure on the esophagus. This may affect the tissue appearance and the ability to detect dysplasia in BE. To study this effect, we propose a double-balloon catheter to allow imaging with and without balloon-tissue contact. A system design based on a spectral-domain OCT platform is reported and validated by acquisition of high quality, volumetric images of swine esophagus in vivo.

Circumferential optical coherence tomography angiography imaging of the swine esophagus using a micromotor balloon catheter

“…In addition, high resolution balloon OCT imaging was achieved by correcting the astigmatism from the plastic sheath with a cylindrical aluminum reflector [8]. An alternative double balloon sheath design was proposed to allow endoscopic OCT imaging of the esophageal mucosa either with or without direct balloon contact to the tissue [9].…”

Ultrahigh speed endoscopic optical coherence tomography using micromotor imaging catheter and VCSEL technology

“…In vivo endoscopic OCT imaging is challenging because fast optical scanning must be implemented inside a miniaturized imaging probe. Many scanning mechanisms have been realized in catheter based endoscopic OCT systems, such as proximal rotation of a torque cable and fiber with distal micro-prism [2,4–11], swinging the distal fiber tip by a galvanometric plate [12], swinging the fiber on a cantilever by piezoelectric transducer (PZT) actuators [13–15], and beam scanning using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) [16–19]. …”

Motion artifacts associated with in vivo endoscopic OCT images of the esophagus

“…Recently, improvements in the technology have enabled endoscopic 3-D volumetric imaging (2 to 5cm in length) of BE [9–16]. The new technology allows for interrogation of a 20 cm 2 mucosal area or more, and therefore avoids the sampling error inherent in standard clinical biopsy-based surveillance examinations [17-18].…”