Ultrahigh-resolution and 3-dimensional optical coherence tomography ex vivo imaging of the large and small intestines.
BACKGROUND
Ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) has an axial resolution of <5 microm, 2 to 3 times finer than standard OCT. This study investigates ultrahigh-resolution and three-dimensional OCT for ex vivo imaging of the large and small intestines and correlates images with histology.


METHODS
Ultrahigh-resolution OCT imaging was performed on fresh surgical specimens from the large and small intestines in the pathology laboratory, and images were correlated with histology. OCT was performed at 1.3-microm wavelength with 4.5-microm axial x 11-microm transverse resolution and at 1.1-microm wavelength with 3.5-microm axial x 6-microm transverse resolution. Three-dimensional OCT also was investigated.


RESULTS
Normal and pathologic areas from 23 surgical specimens of the large and small intestines were imaged. Ultrahigh-resolution OCT distinguished the epithelial layer of the mucosa and visualized individual villi, glands, and crypts. Finer transverse resolutions improved visualization of features, e.g., the epithelium, but reduced the depth of field. Architectural distortion of glands from inflammatory and neoplastic processes was observed. Three-dimensional rendering enabled visualization of surface pit pattern and mucosal folds as well as subsurface crypt microstructure.


CONCLUSIONS
This study evaluates new OCT technology and can provide a baseline for interpreting future ultrahigh-resolution endoscopic OCT studies.
Hsiung
Pei-Lin
PL
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Pantanowitz
Liron
L
Aguirre
Aaron D
AD
Chen
Yu
Y
Phatak
Darshan
D
Ko
Tony H
TH
Bourquin
Stephane
S
Schnitt
Stuart J
SJ
Raza
Sugrah
S
Connolly
James L
JL
Mashimo
Hiroshi
H
Fujimoto
James G
JG
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*