I. (Core Value: Unparalleled Diagnostic Capability
High-resolution, non-invasive "optical biopsy"
Traditionally, to make a clear diagnosis of many diseases, a biopsy was required, which involves taking a small piece of tissue and observing it under a microscope. This is an invasive operation.
OCT provides cross-sectional images similar to biopsies, but it is completely contactless and non-invasive. Doctors can directly observe the microstructure of the surface and subsurface layers of tissues inside the body without the need for cutting, significantly reducing risks and patient discomfort.

2. Real-time imaging, guiding treatment
OCT imaging is extremely fast and can provide images in real time. This enables doctors to immediately assess the condition of the tissue during surgery or interventional treatment, thereby making more accurate decisions.
For instance, during cardiovascular interventional surgery, doctors can view in real time the nature of the plaques within the blood vessels and the adhesion of stents.

Ii. (Main Application Fields and Specific Assistance）
The application of OCT has expanded from ophthalmology to multiple medical fields. Here are some of its most important applications:
Ophthalmology - the most mature and widely applied field
This is a prime example of the success story of OCT technology, which has completely transformed the diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases.
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Diagnosis of macular diseases: Precise diagnosis and staging of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), macular edema, macular holes and other diseases is the gold standard.
Glaucoma management: By precisely measuring the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), early diagnosis of glaucoma and objective monitoring of disease progression can be achieved.
Diabetic retinopathy: Early detection of subtle changes and edema in the retina to guide treatment.
Impact on the industry: It has led ophthalmic diagnosis from subjective two-dimensional fundus photography to an era of objective and quantitative three-dimensional microstructure analysis.

2. Cardiology - A rapidly developing frontier field
Intravascular OCT (IV-OCT) enters the interior of blood vessels through slender catheters for imaging.
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Precise assessment of plaques: Clearly distinguish lipid plaques, fibrous plaques and calcified plaques, and identify easily ruptured "vulnerable plaques", which is something that traditional angiography cannot achieve.
Optimizing stent implantation: During percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), guiding doctors to select stents of appropriate size and accurately assessing whether the stents are fully adhered and sufficiently dilated after the operation significantly reduces the risk of restenosis and thrombosis after the operation.
Impact on the industry: It has advanced coronary intervention therapy from the era of "walking according to the route map" with angiography to the era of "navigating with a high-brightness map on" with precision.

3. Combination of oncology and endoscopy
Integrating the OCT probe into the endoscope enables deep scanning of suspicious areas simultaneously during endoscopic examinations of the digestive tract, respiratory tract, etc.
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Early cancer diagnosis: In the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, bladder and other areas, distinguish benign lesions from early cancer, guide the biopsy location, and increase the positive rate of biopsy.
Determine the tumor boundary: Assist surgeons in determining the precise boundary of the tumor during surgery to ensure complete resection while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.
Impact on the industry: It has enhanced the depth and accuracy of endoscopic examinations and promoted the screening and diagnosis capabilities for early-stage tumors.

4. Dermatology
Skin OCT is similar to ophthalmic OCT and can perform high-resolution imaging of the skin's surface layer.
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Non-invasive diagnosis: It assists in the diagnosis of skin tumors such as basal cell carcinoma and melanoma, as well as inflammatory diseases like eczema and psoriasis.
Treatment monitoring: Non-invasive monitoring of the efficacy of drug treatment or laser treatment.
Impact on the industry: It has reduced the need for some diagnostic biopsies and provided new tools for the dynamic monitoring of skin diseases.

Iii. (Summary of the Overall Impact on the Healthcare Industry)
1. Enhance the level of diagnosis and treatment: Early diagnosis, precise staging and personalized treatment of diseases have been achieved.

2. Enhance patient experience: Through non-invasive or minimally invasive examinations, patients' pain, risk of complications and recovery time are reduced.

3. Reduce medical costs: Although OCT devices themselves are expensive, they can lower overall medical expenses in the long run by avoiding unnecessary surgeries, optimizing the treatment process and reducing complications.

4. Promoting scientific research development: It provides powerful in vivo imaging tools for medical research, accelerating the development of new drugs and in-depth understanding of disease pathological mechanisms.