[Use of optical coherence tomography for prognosis of the severity of oral mucositis]

The results of oral mucosa monitoring by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the course of radiochemotherapy of 18 cases of oropharyngeal cancer are discussed. Damage to the mucosa was mainly assessed using contrast characteristics deterioration and reduction of epithelial layer thickness. Significant variation in OCT image characteristics was identified vs. mucositis grade and prognostic criteria for individual mucosal radiosensitivity worked out intact contrast on day 1 of mucositis should be interpreted as a sign of relatively mild complication. Blurred contrast would indicate mucositis stage III-IV development. Numerical analysis of OCT image patterns confirmed the contribution of the endothelial blood vessels and connecting tissue to radiation-induced damage to the mucosa.