Direct Numerical Modeling as a Tool for Optical Coherence Tomography Development: SNR (Sensitivity) and Lateral Resolution Test Target Interpretation


Lawman, Samuel ORCID: 0000-0003-2695-4366 and Shen, Yao-Chun ORCID: 0000-0002-8915-1993 (2024) Direct Numerical Modeling as a Tool for Optical Coherence Tomography Development: SNR (Sensitivity) and Lateral Resolution Test Target Interpretation. Photonics, 11 (5). p. 419. ISSN 2304-6732, 2304-6732

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Abstract

<jats:p>Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a growing family of biophotonic imaging techniques, but in the literature there is a lack of easy-to-use tools to universally directly evaluate a device’s theoretical performance for a given metric. Modern computing tools mean that direct numerical modeling can, from first principles, simulate the performance metrics of a specific device directly without relying on analytical approximations and/or complexities. Here, we present two different direct numerical models, along with the example MATLAB code for the reader to adapt to their own systems. The first model is of photo-electron shot noise at the detector, the primary noise source for OCT. We use this firstly to evaluate the amount of additional noise present (1.5 dB) for an experimental setup. Secondly, we demonstrate how to use it to precisely quantify the expected shot noise SNR limit difference between time-domain and Fourier-domain OCT systems in a given hypothetical experiment. The second model is used to demonstrate how USAF 1951 test chart images should be interpreted for a given lateral PSF shape. Direct numerical modeling is an easy and powerful basic tool for researchers and developers, the wider use of which may improve the rigor of the OCT literature.</jats:p>

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: 5102 Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 51 Physical Sciences, Biomedical Imaging, Bioengineering
Divisions: Faculty of Science and Engineering > School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 03 May 2024 09:52
Last Modified: 16 Aug 2025 05:13
DOI: 10.3390/photonics11050419
Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11050419
Related Websites:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3180771
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