Optical Biopsy in Human Urologic Tissue Using Optical Coherence Tomography

TLDR

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a recently developed non‑invasive technique that provides high‑resolution, cross‑sectional images of human tissue. This study investigated OCT’s ability to differentiate the architectural morphology of urologic tissue, aiming to use it as an adjunct to endoscopic imaging and to improve the efficiency of procedures such as transurethral prostatectomy. The authors imaged post‑mortem urologic tissues that were dissected and scanned with OCT to assess architectural differentiation. OCT delineated microstructure of the prostatic urethra, prostate, bladder, and ureter with a 16 ± 1 µm axial resolution, surpassing current endoscopic imaging and enabling non‑contact optical biopsy that could replace conventional excisional biopsy.

Abstract

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a recently developed non-invasive technique for obtaining high resolution, cross-sectional images of human tissue. This work investigated the capability of OCT to differentiate the architectural morphology of urologic tissue with the long term aim of using OCT as an adjunct to endoscopic imaging and to improve the efficiency of interventional procedures such as transurethral prostatectomy (TURP). Urologic tissues were taken postmortem, dissected, and imaged using OCT. Microstructure was delineated in different urologic tissues, including the prostatic urethra, prostate, bladder, and ureter, with an axial resolution of 16 +/- 1 microm., higher than any clinically available endoscopic intraluminal imaging technology. The ability of OCT to provide non-contact high resolution imaging of urologic tissue architectural morphology (i.e. optical biopsy ), higher than any clinically available endoscopic intraluminal imaging technology. optical biopsy), without the need for excisional biopsy, suggests the potential of using OCT to obtain information on tissue microstructure that could only previously be obtained with conventional biopsy.