In vivo multi-contrast zebrafish imaging using Jones-matrix optical coherence tomography

Zebrafish are important models in biomedicine due to their genetic similarity to humans and cost-effectiveness. Traditional imaging methods often cannot visualize detailed internal structures. This study utilized Jones-matrix optical coherence tomography (JM-OCT) with a 1310nm swept source laser to image a one-year-old zebrafish. Using a 4-frame-repeated scanning protocol, we captured primary contrasts including OCT angiography (OCTA), birefringence, and degree of polarization uniformity (DOPU). Principal component analysis (PCA) synthesized an additional contrast, improving tissue discrimination and revealing fine anatomical structures, such as the neural and hemal arches, with greater clarity which were difficult to interpret in the primary contrasts.