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.