iOCT with surgical microscopes: a new imaging during microsurgery

The optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technique, which recently has found important clinical micrometer applications. It allows noncontact and non-invasive cross-section imaging of the tissues with a depth resolution of about 10 mu m. Similar to high-frequency ultrasound, the OCT shows real-time cross-sectional images of the tissue structures and tissue layers in a depth of a few millimeters. The OCT has evolved to an indispensable tool in ophthalmic diagnosis. An emerging application is the intraoperative use of OCT (iOCT). We developed the first commercially available device for the OCT, a universal OCT-Camera, which can be attached to the camera port of the different surgical microscopes. The OCT-Camera is completely integrated into the surgical procedure by enabling the OCT imaging before, during, and after microsurgery without interruption. The individual steps and the outcome of the surgical procedures, such as transplantation of the thin membranes or micro implants, are visualized in real time. The easy handling and first clinical applications of the iOCT were successfully demonstrated.