Real time processing of Fourier domain optical coherence tomography with fixed-pattern noise removal by partial median subtraction using a graphics processing unit.

The author presents a graphics processing unit (GPU) programming for real-time Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) with fixed-pattern noise removal by subtracting mean and median. In general, the fixed-pattern noise can be removed by the averaged spectrum from the many spectra of an actual measurement. However, a mean-spectrum results in artifacts as residual lateral lines caused by a small number of high-reflective points on a sample surface. These artifacts can be eliminated from OCT images by using medians instead of means. However, median calculations that are based on a sorting algorithm can generate a large amount of computation time. With the developed GPU programming, highly reflective surface regions were obtained by calculating the standard deviation of the Fourier transformed data in the lateral direction. The medians and means were then subtracted at the observed regions and other regions, such as backgrounds. When the median calculation was less than 256 positions out of a total 512 depths in an OCT image with 1024 A-lines, the GPU processing rate was faster than that of the line scan camera (46.9 kHz). Therefore, processed OCT images can be displayed in real-time using partial medians.