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Updated: Jan 6, 2026
Thinned-skull Cortical Window Technique for In Vivo Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging
Published on: November 19, 2012
Rapid head and neck tissue identification in thyroid and parathyroid surgery using optical coherence tomography
Nathan Yang1, Caroline Boudoux2, Etienne De Montigny2
1Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Background:
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive imaging modality that may reproduce the microarchitecture of tissues in real-time. This study examines whether OCT can render distinct images of thyroid, parathyroid glands, adipose tissue, and lymph nodes in both healthy and pathological states.
Methods:
Twenty-seven patients undergoing thyroidectomy, parathyroidectomy, and/or neck dissection for thyroid cancer were recruited prospectively for imaging prior to histopathological analysis.
Results:
Based on 122 imaged specimens, qualitative OCT descriptions were derived for healthy thyroid, parathyroid gland, adipose tissue, and lymph node. The frequencies at which distinguishing features were present for each tissue type were 88%, 83%, 100%, and 82%. OCT appearance of pathological specimens were also described.
Conclusions:
Healthy neck tissues have distinct OCT appearances, which could facilitate parathyroid identification during thyroidectomies. However, images of parathyroid adenomas could be confused with those of lymph nodes, and benign and malignant thyroid nodules could not be differentiated.
