Dynamic full-field optical coherence tomography as complementary tool in fungal diagnostics.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Mycology
• Biophotonics

Background:

• Histopathology is the gold standard for diagnosing invasive fungal infections (IFIs) but has limitations.
• Rapid diagnosis of IFIs is crucial, especially in intensive care settings.
• Novel imaging techniques are needed to overcome current diagnostic challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate dynamic full-field optical coherence tomography (D-FF-OCT) for visualizing microscopic filamentous fungi.
• To assess D-FF-OCT's capability in identifying fungal structures and metabolic activity.
• To explore D-FF-OCT as a potential tool for rapid IFI diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Dynamic full-field optical coherence tomography (D-FF-OCT) was employed.
• Three fungal species (Nannizzia gypsea, Aspergillus fumigatus, Rhizopus arrhizus) were studied.
• Microscopic filamentous fungi were visualized and analyzed.

Main Results:

• D-FF-OCT successfully visualized key fungal structures, including hyphae, spores, and conidia.
• The technique revealed metabolic activity within the observed fungal species.
• All tested fungal species were clearly visualized by D-FF-OCT.

Conclusions:

• D-FF-OCT is a novel imaging modality capable of visualizing microscopic fungi.
• The technology can differentiate fungal structures and potentially assess metabolic activity.
• D-FF-OCT shows potential as a complementary tool for rapid IFI diagnosis in clinical settings.