Objectives: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) are recently developed technologies for real time, in-vivo, near histological resolution optical imaging of normal and pathologic tissue that can be adapted for fiberoptic or endoscopic applications. The objective of this study was to demonstrate OCT capabilities for the diagnosis of neoplastic changes in lung pleura and parenchyma with 2 and 3-D image reconstructions.
Methods: A fiber based OCT/PSOCT system designed and constructed in our laboratory was used to image microscopic tumor detail in a novel New Zealand White rabbit model of pleural and subpleural sarcoma. 2-D and 3-D optical OCT/PS-OCT images were compared to histological sections of the same lung and pleural tissue samples.
Results: Optical images had a resolution of 10 μm with a depth penetration of 2 mm. Images and histological comparisons are shown in figures 1 and 2. Tumors as small at 50um were readily detectible by enhancement PS-OCT (due to malignancy induced changes in collagen matrix structure). The acquired OCT images closely matched histological images, demonstrating details at the level of the alveoli and respiratory bronchioles.
Conclusions: OCT/PSOCT enable in-vivo near histological level imaging, and with further improvements in resolution may provide the potential for real time in-vivo "optical biopsy", and high resolution three dimensional tissue reconstruction for open and endoscopic thoracic surgical applications.

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