Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) provides cross-sectional images of different polarization states, which can be utilized to obtain additional properties of biological tissue, such as birefringence. It has been demonstrated that collagen secreted by smooth muscle cells (SMC) is highly associated with the stability of atherosclerotic plaques; since both collagen and SMC are birefringent, endoscopic PS-OCT may provide a means to quantitatively analyze the risks and stability of atherosclerotic plaques. Here, we developed a compact spun-fiber-based PS-OCT to achieve robust imaging. In this work, the phase retardation map and OCT images of an ex vivo cadaver coronary artery are presented, and the birefringence of the collagen and SMC is identified.
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