Detection and monitoring of early airway injury effects of half-mustard (2-chloroethylethylsulfide) exposure using high-resolution optical coherence tomography.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive, high-resolution imaging technology capable of delivering real-time, near-histologic images of tissues. Mustard gas is a vesicant-blistering agent that can cause severe and lethal damage to airway and lungs. The ability to detect and assess airway injury in the clinical setting of mustard exposure is currently limited. The purpose of this study is to assess the ability to detect and monitor progression of half-mustard [2-chloroethylethylsulfide (CEES)] airway injuries with OCT techniques. A ventilated rabbit mustard exposure airway injury model is developed. A flexible fiber optic OCT probe is introduced into the distal trachea to image airway epithelium and mucosa in vivo. Progression of airway injury is observed over eight hours with OCT using a prototype time-domain superluminescent diode OCT system. OCT tracheal images from CEES exposed animals are compared to control rabbits for airway mucosal thickening and other changes. OCT detects the early occurrence and progression of dramatic changes in the experimental group after exposure to CEES. Histology and immunofluorescence staining confirms this finding. OCT has the potential to be a high resolution imaging modality capable of detecting, assessing, and monitoring treatment for airway injury following mustard vesicant agent exposures.
Kreuter
Kelly A
KA
University of California, Irvine, Beckman Laser Institute, Irvine, California 92612, USA.
Mahon
Sari B
SB
Mukai
David S
DS
Su
Jianping
J
Jung
Woong-Gyu
WG
Narula
Navneet
N
Guo
Shuguang
S
Wakida
Nicole
N
Raub
Chris
C
Berns
Michael W
MW
George
Steven C
SC
Chen
Zhongping
Z
Brenner
Matthew
M
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000506:poisoning*; D011817:Rabbits; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*
D009151:Mustard Gas