Dynamic microscopic optical coherence tomography to visualize morphological and functional micro-anatomy of the airways

Tabea Kohlfaerber; Mario Pieper; Michael Münter; Cornelia Holzhausen; Martin Ahrens; Christian Idel; Karl Ludwig Bruchhage; Anke Leichtle; Peter König; Gereon Hüttmann; Hinnerk Schulz-Hildebrandt

arXiv · 2202.07011

Dynamic microscopic optical coherence tomography to visualize morphological and functional micro-anatomy of the airways

Tabea Kohlfaerber·Mario Pieper·Michael Münter·Cornelia Holzhausen·Martin Ahrens·Christian Idel·Karl Ludwig Bruchhage·Anke Leichtle·Peter König·Gereon Hüttmann·Hinnerk Schulz-Hildebrandt

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Abstract

Imaging airway tissue, optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides cross-sectional images of tissue structures, shows cilia movement and mucus secretion, but does not provide sufficient contrast to differentiate individual cells. By using fast sequences of microscopic resolution OCT (mOCT) images, OCT can picture small signal fluctuations (dynamic) OCT and overcomes the lack in contrast caused by speckle noise. In this way, OCT visualizes airway morphology on a cellular level and allows to track the dynamic behavior of immune cells, as well as mucus transport and secretion. Here, we demonstrate that mOCT, by using temporal tissue fluctuation as contrast (dynamic OCT), provides the possibility to study physiological and pathological tissue processes in vivo.

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Tabea Kohlfaerber, Mario Pieper, Michael Münter, Cornelia Holzhausen, Martin Ahrens, Christian Idel, Karl Ludwig Bruchhage, Anke Leichtle, Peter König, Gereon Hüttmann, Hinnerk Schulz-Hildebrandt. 2022-02-14. Dynamic microscopic optical coherence tomography to visualize morphological and functional micro-anatomy of the airways. https://arxiv.org/abs/2202.07011

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