$1.5-\mu \mathrm{m}$ Optical Coherence Tomography for Quality Inspection of 3D-Printed Scattering Phantoms

Additive manufacturing methods have an important role in the fabrication of novel tissue-mimicking phantoms to be used in the development and commercialization of imaging techniques. The quality of phantoms is crucial for their effective use in device evaluation and performance optimization. In this study, a new custom-built 1500 nm spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was applied for inspection of 3D printing quality of phantom materials and tumorous tissue phantoms. A commercial OCT operating at 930 nm was used for benchmarking. The results showed typical issues that occurred during 3D printing such as air bubbles, detached material contact, and non-homogeneous particle distribution. Results show that the OCT system, operating at longer wavelengths, achieves higher imaging depth in strongly scattering and water-free phantom materials, making it an improved tool for 3D-printed phantom validation.