Optical tissue clearing to enhance imaging performance for OCT

Abstract

Optical clearing technology for OCT needs is a growing field of investigations and biomedical applications. This chapter describes basic principles of optical clearing in enhancing the OCT imaging performances through biological tissue. We mainly focus on the use of biocompatible and osmotically active chemical agents to impregnate the tissue, leading to the reduction of tissue scattering, thus enhancing the OCT imaging performances. The mechanisms for such improvements, for example, imaging depth and contrast, were discussed, primarily through the experimental examples.