In a method and a system for generating images a laser being tuneable at a rapid frequency and a corresponding synchronized detector are provided. In a preferred embodiment the tuneable laser and the detector are synchronized in time so that the wavelength from the tuneable laser is known when the detector is given its detected signal value. In accordance with another preferred embodiment the tuneable laser is a monolithic laser, and in yet another preferred embodiment the laser and the detector are located on a common chip module. The system can be used to generate OCT images.