Abstract
The objective of this review article is to overview technology, clinical evidence, and future applications to date optical coherence tomography (OCT) probes to yield the diagnostic purpose. We have reviewed the designing, construction and working of different categories of OCT probes developed for optical diagnostics having a potential for non invasive and improved detection of different types of cancer as well as other neoplasm. Rotational and balloon catheters, imaging needles and hand-held, linear scanning, multichannel, micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology based, dynamic focusing, forward view imaging, and common path interferometer based probes have been discussed in details. The fiber probes have shown excellent performance for two dimensional and three dimensional higher resolution, cross-sectional imaging of interior and exterior body tissues that can be compared with histopathology to provide the information about the angiogenesis and other lesions in the tissue. The MEMS-technology based probes are found to be more suitable for three dimensional morphological imaging. (C) 2011 by Astro Ltd. Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA