Imaging the structural modifications of underlying tissues is vital to monitor wound healing. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images high‐resolution sub‐surface information, but suffers a loss of intensity with depth, limiting quantification. Hence correcting the attenuation loss is important. We performed swept source‐OCT of full‐thickness excision wounds for 300 days in mice skin. We used single‐scatter attenuation models to determine and correct the attenuation loss in the images. The phantom studies established the correspondence of corrected‐OCT intensity (reflectivity) with matrix density and hydration. We histologically validated the corrected‐OCT and measured the wound healing rate. We noted two distinct phases of healing—rapid and steady‐state. We also detected two compartments in normal scars using corrected OCT that otherwise were not visible in the OCT scans. The OCT reflectivity in the scar compartments corresponded to distinct cell populations, mechanical properties and composition. OCT reflectivity has potential applications in evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of healing and characterizing scars.

中文翻译：

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衰减校正光学相干断层扫描技术，定量评估皮肤伤口愈合和疤痕形态

成像基础组织的结构改变对于监测伤口愈合至关重要。光学相干断层扫描（OCT）可以对高分辨率的地下信息进行成像，但是会随着深度而损失强度，从而限制了量化。因此，校正衰减损耗很重要。我们在小鼠皮肤中进行了全层切除伤口的扫源OCT，持续了300天。我们使用单散射衰减模型来确定和校正图像中的衰减损耗。幻像研究建立了校正后的OCT强度（反射率）与基质密度和水合作用的对应关系。我们在组织学上验证了校正后的OCT并测量了伤口的愈合率。我们注意到了康复的两个不同阶段：快速阶段和稳态阶段。我们还使用校正后的OCT在正常疤痕中检测到两个隔室，否则在OCT扫描中看不到这些隔室。瘢痕区室中的OCT反射率对应于不同的细胞群，机械性能和组成。OCT反射率在评估愈合和表征疤痕的治疗功效方面具有潜在的应用。