![]() The adoption of OCT into the clinical pathways of ophthalmology has allowed investigation into numerous pathologies, 9, 10 and the structure and function of the individual components of the eye, including the cornea, 11, 12 lens, 13, 14 iris, 15, 16 ciliary body, 17, 18 retina, 19 – 22 microvasculature, 23, 24 contact lens design and fit, 25, 26 and even changes in the retina with exposure to space flight. In comparison, the rate of development and clinical adoption of OCT has exceeded that pace, given the acceptance of OCT into the ophthalmic community 8 as a gold-standard technique for retinal evaluation ∼ 20 to 25 years after inception. 7 Over a span of ∼ 60 years, US became recognized as the gold-standard imaging modality for a wide range of clinically useful diagnostic tests. 6 Recently, ultracompact, battery powered, and completely self-contained US handheld units have been released that are used in routine checkups, low-resource settings, and emergency situations (EMT type). ![]() 5 US systems as understood today were first released commercially in cart-based systems around 1980, with improvements in form factor, utility, and capability over time to its present appearance as a compact, well designed, and optimized system for specialized clinical exams. Ultrasound (US) imaging has an extensive history of development, with its inception sometime around the 1920s, and impactful clinical utility demonstrated in approximately 1958. OCT has followed a similar development trajectory 4 as that of other clinically useful medical imaging techniques, albeit at a much more accelerated pace. 1 – 3 OCT system development today has continued to reduce form factor and cost, while improving on imaging performance (speed, resolution, etc.) and offering more flexibility for applications in a variety of clinical subspecialties beyond ophthalmology. OCT first provided an optical means to generate noninvasive high-resolution cross-sectional images and depth-resolved measurements of the human eye. The trend toward well-designed, efficient, and compact handheld systems paves the way for more widespread adoption of OCT into point-of-care or point-of-procedure applications in both clinical and commercial settings.Īdvancements in the field of biophotonics, specifically in optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, have allowed for numerous discoveries in disease diagnostics and treatment applications in both commercial and clinical applications, driven forward by academic research and development. Additional insight from our efforts to implement systems in several clinical environments is provided. Handheld systems are discussed in terms of their relative level of portability and form factor, with mention of the supporting technologies and surrounding ecosystem that bolstered their development. Handheld OCT systems are discussed and explored for various applications. Many advancements in the development of these miniaturized and portable systems can be linked back to a specific challenge in academic research, or a clinical need in medicine or surgery. An extensive array of components to construct customized systems has also become available, with a range of commercial entities that produce high-quality products, from single components to full systems, for clinical and research use. ![]() OCT system developers continue to reduce form factor and cost, while improving imaging performance (speed, resolution, etc.) and flexibility for applicability in a broad range of fields, and nearly every clinical specialty. Since the inception of optical coherence tomography (OCT), advancements in imaging system design and handheld probes have allowed for numerous advancements in disease diagnostics and characterization of the structural and optical properties of tissue.
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