Combined photoacoustic and optical coherence tomography using a single near-infrared supercontinuum laser source

We developed an integrated dual-modal photoacoustic and optical coherence tomography (PA-OCT) system using a single near-infrared supercontinuum laser source to simultaneously provide both optical absorption and scattering contrasts. A pulsed broadband supercontinuum source was generated by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser and a photonic-crystal fiber. When we imaged two colored hairs, the black hair was visible in both PA and OCT images, whereas the white hair was only mapped in the OCT image. The single laser source will potentially allow us to implement relatively simple, cheap, and compact dual-modal PA-OCT systems, which are key criteria for fast clinical translation and commercialization. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America