Acoustic-actuated optical coherence angiography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography requires high sensitivity and image penetration for detailed microvascular monitoring. Unfortunately, no effective contrastmedium- enhanced scheme is currently available for imaging improvement. We here propose the simultaneous use of gasfilled microbubbles (MBs) and acoustic actuation to enhance the imaging contrast ofOCTangiography.OCT-synchronized acoustic actuation was applied in the presence of MBs, and differentmoving object tracking angiographic algorithmswere tested in in vitro tubing and in vivo mouse experiments. This scheme significantly enhanced the OCT angiography performance, including its sensitivity and penetration, and should advance the utilization of OCT as an effective microvascular diagnostic tool.