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Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a modern technique for imaging of internal structures of biotissue of up to several millimeters in depth with a resolution of several micrometers. However, various external conditions can distort the diagnostic capabilities of an OCT image. Mechanical compression and temperature regime are the two conditions which mostly affect the diagnostic OCT images obtained with a contact probe. It is shown here that the application of compression to human skin induces a decrease in contrast of the stratum corneum-epidermis junction and an increase in contrast of the epidermis-dermis junction. With regard to these junctions, a preliminary change of biotissue temperature induces additional changes in the contrast, with opposing effects in case of heating and cooling.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is rapidly advancing into clinical practice beyond the area of ophthalmology. Many applications of OCT in areas such as dermatology, endoscopy and others require contact OCT probes which transfer compression to the studied tissues. This effect should be taken into account when developing methods for OCT diagnostics. On the other hand, controlled compression can provide additional diagnostic information and can serve as a diagnostic procedure. This paper discusses the effect of controlled mechanical compression induced by an OCT probe coupled with dynamometer on cross-polarization OCT images of skin. Registration of OCT images in two polarizations (parallel and orthogonal) allows additional information to be obtained about structural features of the studied tissue. An increase in contrast of epidermis/dermis junction and a decrease in contrast of stratum corneum/epidermis junction in OCT images are shown to originate from mechanical compression of human skin

The object of the study was to demonstrate the abilities of optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique in diagnostics of inflammatory processes in ear, nose, and throat (ENT). When used in diagnostics of the nose and pharynx, OCT facilitates differential diagnostics of rhinitis enabling differentiation between the normal state, two stages of allergic rhinitis, vasomotor and atrophic rhinitis and diagnostics of pharyngitis. This paper also demonstrates the ability of OCT to monitor changes in pharynx induced by cryotherapy. In diagnostics of the tympanic cavity the ability of OCT to differentiate between different stages of chronic otitis and retraction of the tympanic membrane is demonstrated. Finally a correlation is discussed between morphologic alterations induced by inflammatory processes and changes in diagnostic OCT images.