Proper ciliary dynamics is vital for effective mucociliary transport, the primary defense mechanism for the upper respiratory tract. Abnormal cilia behavior could lead to chronic respiratory disease, making it essential to conduct more detailed studies. In this study we present a multimodality system, specifically using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and phase-resolved spectrally encoded interferometric microscopy (PR-SEIM). We have already shown that PR-SEIM is capable of measuring cilia beat frequency ex vivo. Although we were able to visually identify the ciliary motion in the nasal cavity of rabbits in vivo, due to its sensitivity to motion artifacts, it has been difficult to quantitatively analyze ciliary dynamics. To overcome this obstacle, we incorporated OCT along with a high-speed laser source to compensate for bulk motion. Ultimately, this system will provide a way to study ciliary dynamics in its natural environment, thus allowing more in-depth understanding of ciliary functions.
In this work, we demonstrate the ability to image and quantify airway changes, edema, and epithelial layer separation using OCT and automated tissue boundary identification in the rabbit large airways as early as 30-minutes post-chlorine gas exposure. We propose this novel approach will enable further investigations into using OCT for pre-hospital and point-of-care diagnostics of large airway injury due to airway toxic chemical exposure. With enhanced portability over conventional bronchoscopy, we believe our system is capable of field hospital deployment and investigating airway conditions in warfighters. Combining OCT with bronchoscopy would enhance the assessment and treatment of large airway chemical injury.
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