Multimodal in vivo skin imaging with integrated optical coherence and multiphoton microscopy

In this paper, we demonstrate high-resolution, multimodal in vivo imaging of human skin using optical coherence (OCM) and multiphoton microscopy (MPM). These two modalities are integrated into a single instrument to enable simultaneous acquisition and coregistration. The system design and the OCM image processing architecture enable sufficient performance of both modalities for in vivo imaging of human skin. Examples of multimodal in vivo imaging are presented as well as time lapse imaging of blood flow in single capillary loops. By making use of multiple intrinsic contrast mechanisms this integrated technique improves the ability to noninvasively visualize living tissue. Integrated OCM and MPM has potential applications for in vivo diagnosis of various pathological skin conditions, such as skin cancer, as well as potential pharmaceutical and cosmetic research applications.