Optical coherence tomography

Pronunciation

Definition 1

A procedure that uses infrared light waves to give three-dimensional (3-D) pictures of structures inside tissues and organs. The pictures are made by a computer linked to the light source. Also called OCT. (NCI Dictionary)

Definition 2

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) combines the principles of ultrasound with the imaging performance of a microscope. OCT uses infrared light waves that reflect off the internal microstructure within the biological tissues. The frequencies and bandwidths of infrared light are orders of magnitude higher than medical ultrasound signals, resulting in greatly increased image resolution, 8-25 times greater than any existing modality. In addition to providing high-level resolutions for the evaluation of microanatomic structures OCT is also able to provide information regarding tissue composition. (NCI Thesaurus)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Optical Cable Device Component

A cable designed to use fiberoptic strands to transmit signals.

Optical Biopsy

Use of optical coherence tomography to capture ulta-high resolution images of tissue surfaces which can be used to identify cancerous legions. …

Optic tract

The nerves that travel from the optic chiasm (place in the brain where some of the optic nerve fibers cross) into certain…

Optic pathway glioma

A rare, slow-growing tumor that usually forms in the optic nerve, optic chiasm, or optic tract. These are parts of the nervous…

Optic neuritis

Inflammation of the optic nerve (the nerve that carries messages from the back of the eye to the brain). It may be…

Optic Nerve Sheath Meningioma

A meningioma that affects the sheath of the optic nerve.