title: In vivo optical microscopy of peripheral nerve myelination with polarization sensitive-optical coherence tomography.
abstract: Assessing nerve integrity and myelination after injury is necessary to provide insight for treatment strategies aimed at restoring neuromuscular function. Currently, this is largely done with electrical analysis, which lacks direct quantitative information. In vivo optical imaging with sufficient imaging depth and resolution could be used to assess the nerve microarchitecture. In this study, we examine the use of polarization sensitive-optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) to quantitatively assess the sciatic nerve microenvironment through measurements of birefringence after applying a nerve crush injury in a rat model. Initial loss of function and subsequent recovery were demonstrated by calculating the sciatic function index (SFI). We found that the PS-OCT phase retardation slope, which is proportional to birefringence, increased monotonically with the SFI. Additionally, histomorphometric analysis of the myelin thickness and g-ratio shows that the PS-OCT slope is a good indicator of myelin health and recovery after injury. These results demonstrate that PS-OCT is capable of providing nondestructive and quantitative assessment of nerve health after injury and shows promise for continued use both clinically and experimentally in neuroscience.
authors: Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United StatesbMassachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School, Plastic Surgery Research Laboratory, No. 15 Parkman Street, WACC 435.
authors: Francis P
authors: FP
authors: Henry
authors: Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United StatescUniversity of California, Department of Bioengineering, Bourns A247, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, Un.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: University of California, Department of Bioengineering, Bourns A247, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States.
authors: Carissa L R
authors: CL
authors: Rodriguez
authors: Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School, Plastic Surgery Research Laboratory, No. 15 Parkman Street, WACC 435, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States.
authors: Mark A
authors: MA
authors: Randolph
authors: Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School, Plastic Surgery Research Laboratory, No. 15 Parkman Street, WACC 435, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States.
authors: Esther A Z
authors: EA
authors: Rust
authors: Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School, Plastic Surgery Research Laboratory, No. 15 Parkman Street, WACC 435, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States.
authors: Jonathan M
authors: JM
authors: Winograd
authors: Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United StatesdVU University Amsterdam, Department of Physics and Astronomy, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands.
authors: Johannes F
authors: JF
authors: de Boer
authors: University of California, Department of Bioengineering, Bourns A247, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States.
authors: B Hyle
authors: BH
authors: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization / Q000379:methods*; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*