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Mammalian Cochlear Hair Cell Imaging Using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): A Preliminary Study
Sung-Won Choi1, Jieun Kang1, Seokhwan Lee1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Pusan National University School of Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Objectives:
This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to provide information about cochlear microanatomy at a cellular level, specifically of cochlear hair cells in mammals.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 10 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 2 experimental groups for comparing the arrangement of normal and damaged hair cells. Postnatal day 3 Sprague-Dawley rats were used to test the swept-source OCT system, and the images recorded were compared with fluorescence microscope images.
Results:
Intracochlear structures (the inner hair cells, outer hair cells, and auditory nerve fibers) were clearly visualized at the individual cellular level.
Conclusion:
These images reflect the ability of OCT to provide images of the inner hair cells, outer hair cells, and auditory nerve fibers (ex vivo). OCT is a promising technology, and these findings could be used to encourage research in the area of cochlear microstructure imaging in the future.
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