Complex artifact suppression using vestigial sideband filter in Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography

Abstract

In order to achieve computationally efficient mirror image rejection during the off-pivot, full-range approach in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, we used a vestigial sideband (VSB) filter in place of a Hilbert transform. The appropriate choice of the VSB filter parameters enabled almost complete removal of one sideband with much reduced computational load. To determine the optimal filter parameters, we acquired images of the infrared card and analyzed the mirror suppression ratio of the card surface. Comparison between images obtained using the two filters revealed that the computational load is reduced by 52.4 +/- 0.17% when using the VSB filter as it requires a much shorter truncation length. Finally, we present the anterior segment images of a human volunteer's eye processed using the VSB filter. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America