Real time SD-OCT with distributed acquisition and processing

1. A method for computing optical image data comprising the steps of:

providing at least one graphics processing unit in communication, through a communication link, with at least one central processing unit for processing optical and ultrasound image data from a combined ultrasound (US)/optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, wherein the optical image data is generated by a swept-source OCT instrument;

using the at least one graphics processing unit to perform a Fourier Transformation processing step on the optical image data;

using the at least one central processing unit to perform a data acquisition step, a pre-processing step, and any other processing steps on the optical image data, wherein data acquisition step comprises synchronizing the swept-source optical coherence tomography instrument by clocking a light source, wherein one of the at least one central processing units performs at least one task on the optical image data and at least one task on the ultrasound image data; and

transmitting the processed optical image data and ultrasound image data to a display device to thereby display images at real-time frame rates.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the any other processing steps comprise the steps of post-processing, image display, and post-display interaction.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein data acquisition comprises triggering instrumentation and digitization of the optical imaging signal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein pre-processing comprises noise removal, windowing and apodization, and interpolation to linear wavenumber space.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein post-processing further comprises at least one of filtering, edge detection, feature extraction, and mapping polar representations.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein post-display interaction comprises at least one of requesting additional post-processing, interactive processing, measurement of image features, and playback control.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the at least one graphics processing unit and the at least one central processing unit for performing ultrasound imaging.

8. A processing system for computing image data comprising:

a combined ultrasound (US) and swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) system configured to generate ultrasound image data and optical image data;

a graphics processing unit configured to perform a Fourier Transformation processing step on the optical image data; and

a central processing unit configured to perform data acquisition, pre-processing, and all other processing steps on the optical image data, wherein data acquisition comprises synchronizing the swept-source optical coherence tomography instrument by clocking a light source, wherein the central processing unit performs at least one task for both the ultrasound image data and the optical image data;

a display for displaying the processed optical image data; and

a communication link providing data communication between the graphics processing unit, the central processing unit, and the display.

9. The processing system of claim 8 , further comprising at least a memory for data storage.

10. The processing system of claim 9 , further comprising a user interface.

11. The processing system of claim 8 , further comprising an ultrasound system in communication with the graphics processing unit and the central processing unit.

12. The processing system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface is in communication with the graphics processing unit and the central processing unit.

13. A processing system for computing image data comprising:

a combined ultrasound (US) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) system configured to generate ultrasound image data and optical image data and in communication with a central processing unit and a graphics processing unit;

wherein the graphics processing unit is configured to perform a Fourier Transformation processing step on the optical image data; and

wherein the central processing unit is configured to perform data acquisition, pre-processing, and all other processing steps on the optical image data and at least one task on the ultrasound image data.

14. The processing system of claim 13 , further comprising a user interface.

15. The processing system of claim 13 , further comprising an ultrasound system in communication with the graphics processing unit and the central processing unit.

16. The processing system of claim 14 , wherein the user interface is in communication with the graphics processing unit and the central processing unit.