Imaging ex vivo and in vitro brain morphology in animal models with ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography

Kostadinka K. Bizheva; Angelika Unterhuber; Boris M. Hermann; Boris Považay; Harald Sattmann; Wolfgang Drexler; Andreas Stingl; Tuan M. Le; Michael Mei; Ronald Holzwarth; Herbert Reitsammer; John E. Morgan; Alan Cowey

doi:10.1117/1.1756920

1 July 2004 Imaging ex vivo and in vitro brain morphology in animal models with ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography

Kostadinka K. Bizheva, Angelika Unterhuber, Boris M. Hermann, Boris Považay, Harald Sattmann, Wolfgang Drexler, Andreas Stingl, Tuan M. Le, Michael Mei, Ronald Holzwarth, Herbert Reitsammer, John E. Morgan, Alan Cowey

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol. 9, Issue 4, (July 2004). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.1756920

Abstract

The feasibility of ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR OCT) to image ex vivo and in vitro brain tissue morphology on a scale from single neuron cells to a whole animal brain was investigated using a number of animal models. Sub-2-μm axial resolution OCT in biological tissue was achieved at different central wavelengths by separately interfacing two state-of-the-art broad bandwidth light sources (titanium:sapphire, Ti:Al₂O₃ laser, λ_c = 800 nm, Δλ= 260 nm, P_out = 50 mW and a fiber laser light source, λ_c = 1350 nm, Δλ = 470 nm, P_out = 4 mW) to free-space or fiber-based OCT systems, designed for optimal performance in the appropriate wavelength regions. The ability of sub-2-μm axial resolution OCT to visualize intracellular morphology was demonstrated by imaging living ganglion cells in cultures. The feasibility of UHR OCT to image the globular structure of an entire animal brain as well as to resolve fine morphological features at various depths in it was tested by imaging a fixed honeybee brain. Possible degradation of OCT axial resolution with depth in optically dense brain tissue was examined by depositing microspheres through the blood stream to various depths in the brain of a living rabbit. It was determined that in the 1100 to 1600-nm wavelength range, OCT axial resolution was well preserved, even at depths greater than 500 μm, and permitted distinct visualization of microspheres 15 μm in diameter. In addition, the OCT image penetration depth and the scattering properties of gray and white brain matter were evaluated in tissue samples from the visual cortex of a fixed monkey brain.

©(2004) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Citation Download Citation

Kostadinka K. Bizheva, Angelika Unterhuber, Boris M. Hermann, Boris Považay, Harald Sattmann, Wolfgang Drexler, Andreas Stingl, Tuan M. Le, Michael Mei, Ronald Holzwarth, Herbert Reitsammer, John E. Morgan, and Alan Cowey "Imaging ex vivo and in vitro brain morphology in animal models with ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography," Journal of Biomedical Optics 9(4), (1 July 2004). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.1756920

Published: 1 July 2004

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

JOURNAL ARTICLE
6 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY