Enhanced visualization of tissue microstructures using swept-source optical coherence tomography and edible oil as optical clearing agent

Optical clearing agents are chemicals which helps in tissue optical clearing by making skin more optically transparent to light. These chemical agents reduce scattering caused by tissue and improves light penetration. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been used as a non-invasive imaging tool for decades. It can achieve resolutions up to less than 10 mu m, which is a major highlight of this technique. This feature makes it suitable for visualizing microstructures and layers present in skin. Dermal imaging brings forth various challenges that needs to be overcome in order achieve better imaging results. The light is attenuated due to scattering caused by different tissue structures and layers present in the skin. This paper aims to improve the OCT imaging signal and enhance its contrast using optical clearing agents. The aim is also to visualize the microstructures present in the skin and quantitatively estimate the sizes of different structures and layers present in the skin.