Speckle, a factor reducing image quality in optical coherence tomography ("OCT"), can limit the ability to identify cellular structures that are important for the diagnosis of a variety of diseases. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can facilitate an implementation of an angular compounding, angular compounding by path length encoding ("ACPE") for reducing speckle in OCT images. By averaging images obtained at different incident angles, with each image encoded by path length, ACPE maintains high-speed image acquisition and implements minimal modifications to OCT probe optics. ACPE images obtained from tissue phantoms and human skin in vivo demonstrate a qualitative improvement over traditional OCT and an increased signal-to-noise ratio ("SNR"). Accordingly, exemplary embodiments of an apparatus probe catheter and method can be provided for irradiating a sample. In particular, an interferometer may forward forwarding an electromagnetic radiation. In addition, a sample arm may receive the electromagnetic radiation, and can include an arrangement which facilitates a production of at least two radiations from the electromagnetic radiation so as to irradiate the sample. Such exemplary arrangement can be configured to delay a first radiation of the at least two radiations with respect to a second radiation of the at least two radiations.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/459,543 filed on on Mar. 31, 2003, International Patent Application No. PCT/US03/02349 filed on Jan. 24, 2003, and U.S. Patent Applications Ser. Nos. 60/476,600, 60/514,769, filed on Jun. 6, 2003 and Oct. 27, 2003, respectively, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
