Patent ID: 8593639
Filing Date: 2013-11-26
Classification: A61B,G01B,G01N

Abstract:
1. A system for optical coherence tomography comprising: an interferometer for emitting light with which a specimen is irradiated, the interferometer comprising a beam splitter and at least one reflector the optical distance of which from the beam splitter can be changed by an optical path, a detector system including a detector with a first number of detector elements arranged in a first area for collecting light which is reflected by the specimen, wherein the intensity of light which is injected into the interferometer or emitted by the interferometer is modulated with a modulation frequency, or wherein the sensitivity of the detector system for the light reflected by the specimen and impinging on the detector is modulated with a modulation frequency, wherein the modulation frequency is chosen to obtain or produce a low-frequency beat frequency on or by the detector, respectively, the low-frequency beat frequency having fewer periods than a high-frequency interference pattern obtained without modulating the intensity of the injected or emitted light or without modulating the sensitivity of the detector system, and means for operating the system in a first mode in which light reflected by the specimen is only collected by a second number of detector elements of the detector and converted into corresponding detector signals, the second number of detector elements being smaller than the first number of detector elements.