title: Feasibility study of normal and septic tracheal imaging using optical coherence tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging technology that may be adapted for use with flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy, potentially allowing it to play an important role in pulmonary diagnostics. The goal of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of OCT to image tracheal pathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tracheas were harvested from normal and septic New Zealand White rabbits and imaged using OCT. Two delivery devices were employed. One was a moving stage with an objective lens and collimator, the other a linear scanning flexible fiberoptic catheter using a GRIN lens and prism for endoscopic OCT. After OCT images were obtained from normal and septic tracheas, the excised tissues were prepared for standard histologic examination. Areas imaged by OCT were compared with corresponding histology slides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OCT images demonstrated in detail tracheal sub-surface structures such as the epithelium, lamina propria, submucosa, and cartilage. The appearance of structures imaged by OCT corresponded very well with histologic pictures obtained by light microscopy. The OCT images from septic tracheas showed marked swelling of the mucosal and submucosal layers. Such pathology was equally imaged by either the moving stage or fiberoptic catheter for endoscopic OCT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OCT images of the trachea can distinguish many sub-surface structural features usually requiring biopsy and light microscopy for visualization. Marked differences between normal and septic trachea were apparent in OCT images. In the future, OCT may be a valuable tool for evaluating tracheal pathology in situ with high image resolution.
authors.affiliation: Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, California 92612, USA.
authors.forename: Woonggyu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mina-Araghi
authors.forename: Nevine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: J Stuart
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Zhongping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D011817:Rabbits; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*