Clinical Jones-matrix OCT for diagnosis of macular disease (Conference Presentation)

Jones matrix optical coherence tomography (JM-OCT) is a functional extension of OCT. However, the clinical utility of JM-OCT is not widely accepted. Because of its hardware complexity and poorly established methods for clinical interpretation. In this study, we propose the approaches to solve the above-mentioned problems. To reduce the hardware complexity, we employ encapsulated passive polarization delay module (PPD) and encapsulated polarization diversity detection module (PDD), and develop full-function JM-OCT and simplified JM-OCT. In addition, we developed a pixel wise segmentation method for JM-OCT. The full-function JM-OCT which uses both PDD and PPD measures OCT, OCT angiography (OCTA), degree-of-polarization-uniformity (DOPU) and birefringence. The simplified JM-OCT which uses only PDD measures OCT, OCTA, and DOPU but not birefringence. In both JM-OCT systems, all the optical components are packed in a standard-sized retinal scanner. A pixel-wise segmentation method for retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroidal stroma exploits multiple types of images obtained by the JM-OCT. Attenuation coefficient, OCTA, and DOPU are combined to synthesize a new artificial contrast. By applying a simple threshold to it, the target tissue is segmented. After segmenting the RPE, an en face “melano-layer thickness map” is created. A Normal subject and a pigment epithelial detachment (PED) subject are obtained by full-function JM-OCT and simplified JM-OCT. In PED subject, thickened RPE, hyper-reflective foci, and damaged RPE are correctly detected by RPE segmentation. In addition, created melano-layer thickness map has similar patterns to infrared fundus autofluorescence (NIR-AF), and it can contribute further interpretation of the NIR-AF.