Continuous Measurement of Attenuation Coefficient of Biological Tissue during Laser Coagulation by Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract

In laser coagulation treatment, imaging modality which can monitor coagulated layer in real time is needed to prevent overirradiation. We have already developed the combination system of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and coagulation laser. Real-time imaging of laser coagulation and evaluation of time variation of attenuation coefficient (μ_t) were performed by the system. In this paper, we renewed averaging algorithm of μ_t calculation and evaluated it to determine optimal condition of averaging. As a result, the time variation of μ_t during laser coagulation was measured more precisely. The degree of coagulation would be evaluated from the result.