Characterization of porcine skin using a portable time-domain optical coherence tomography system

Abstract

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging tool used to visualize the cross-section of a sample. Additionally, this device can measure the sample’s physical properties. This experiment used a portable version to measure the epidermal thickness and dermal extinction coefficient of porcine skin obtained from different anatomical sites. The thinnest epidermis was found to be from the ear region, while the thickest is from the leg. Meanwhile, the lowest dermal extinction coefficient was from the ear, while the highest was from the belly. These measured properties can be used as aids for diagnosing various skin conditions in humans and animals.