Myocardial tissue characterization based on a polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography system with an ultrashort pulsed laser.

A polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) system using a femtosecond-laser as the broadband light source is implemented with the axial resolution of 5 microm in free space. Through the design of path-length difference between the two polarization inputs and the modulation of one of the polarization inputs, the PSOCT images of various input and output polarization combinations can be distinguished and simultaneously collected. The PSOCT system is then used for in vitro scanning of the myocardium tissues of normal and infarcted rat hearts. The destruction of the birefringence nature of the fiber muscle in the infarcted heart can be clearly observed.