Histology correlated adaptive optics polarisation sensitive optical coherence tomography

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Retinal Research

Background:

• Adaptive optics polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (AO-PS-OCT) offers high-resolution imaging for retinal pathology.
• Previous studies highlight the need for advanced imaging techniques to study retinal injury dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of a novel AO-PS-OCT system for longitudinal in vivo imaging of laser-induced retinal injury in mice.
• To characterize hyper-reflective foci (HRF) and their correlation with cellular changes in the retina.

Main Methods:

• Acquisition of longitudinal in vivo images using a developed AO-PS-OCT system over ten days post-laser injury.
• Spatial registration of AO-PS-OCT images with immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy.
• Analysis of reflectance and PS-OCT modalities for HRF detection.

Main Results:

• Hyper-reflective foci (HRF) were consistently observed in both reflectance and PS-OCT modalities.
• Co-localization of HRF with IB4-positive myeloid cells and probable pigment (melanin-containing RPE debris) was confirmed via spatial registration.
• The study suggests PS contrast originates from the uptake of RPE debris by myeloid cells.

Conclusions:

• AO-PS-OCT is a promising tool for in vivo discrimination of hyper-reflective foci in the retina.
• The findings demonstrate the potential of AO-PS-OCT to differentiate retinal pathologies based on cellular and debris composition.
• This technique can advance the study of retinal injury and repair mechanisms.