Towards non-invasive tissue hydration measurements with optical coherence tomography

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Medical Imaging
• Tissue Optics

Background:

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures tissue hydration via attenuation coefficient (μ).
• Previous dual-wavelength OCT lacked precision due to neglecting wavelength-dependent scattering.
• Accurate tissue hydration assessment is crucial for clinical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a triple/quadrupole-OCT system for precise water volume fraction determination.
• To quantitatively analyze the required precision of the attenuation coefficient (μ).
• To investigate the impact of wavelength selection and additional wavelengths on precision.

Main Methods:

• Developed a theoretical model incorporating wavelength-dependent scattering.
• Proposed a triple/quadrupole-OCT system design.
• Conducted quantitative analysis and numerical simulations to determine precision requirements.

Main Results:

• Achieving a clinically relevant 2% water fraction assessment requires μ precision of 0.01.
• The necessary precision is dependent on the chosen wavelengths for attenuation measurement.
• Employing a fourth wavelength range can further enhance measurement precision.

Conclusions:

• A triple/quadrupole-OCT system, accounting for scattering, can achieve clinically relevant precision.
• High precision in attenuation coefficient measurement is critical for accurate tissue hydration assessment.
• Future OCT systems should consider multi-wavelength approaches for improved diagnostic capabilities.