Microfluidics analysis of blood using joint spectral and time domain optical coherence tomography

Although the Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography techniques have already enabled imaging of blood flow in large vessels in biological tissues, the generation of velocity maps of the capillary network is still a challenge. Since several important physiological and pathological phenomena occur in the microcirculation, the possibility of flow imaging and velocity assessment in microcapillaries may be important for medical diagnostics. Understanding of the origin of the Doppler signal in capillary vessels and limitations of such measurements is essential for further development of Doppler OCT methods. In the OCT flow maps of a microcapillary network randomly varying Doppler signals are observed. To answer the question how accurate is the Doppler OCT flow measurement for blood motion in small vessels, we have investigated the possibility to obtain velocity profiles of blood in vitro in well controlled experimental configuration. We have used a rectangular microchannel (100 μm wide, 40 μm deep) as a microcapillary phantom. Imaging was performed with a Fourier domain OCT setup with a CMOS camera. Data analysis was performed using joint Spectral and Time Domain OCT method (STdOCT).