Objective

To explore the ability of polarisation-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) to rapidly identify subtle signs of tissue degeneration in the equine joint.

Method

Polarisation-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) images were systematically acquired in four locations along the medial and lateral condyles of the third metacarpal bone in five dissected equine specimens. Intensity and retardation PS-OCT images, and anomalies observed therein, were then compared and validated with high resolution images of the tissue sections obtained using Differential Interference contrast (DIC) optical light microscopy.

Results

The PS-OCT system was capable of imaging the entire equine osteochondral unit, and allowed delineation of the three structurally differentiated zones of the joint, that is, the articular cartilage matrix, zone of calcified cartilage and underlying subchondral bone. Importantly, PS-OCT imaging was able to detect underlying matrix and bone changes not visible without dissection and/or microscopy.

Conclusion

PS-OCT has substantial potential to detect, non-invasively, sub-surface microstructural changes that are known to be associated with the early stages of joint tissue degeneration.

中文翻译：

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使用偏振敏感光学相干断层扫描检测马关节中细微的软骨和骨组织退化

客观的

探索偏振敏感光学相干断层扫描 (PS-OCT) 快速识别马关节组织退化细微迹象的能力。

方法

在五个解剖的马标本中，沿第三掌骨的内侧和外侧髁的四个位置系统地获取偏振敏感光学相干断层扫描 (PS-OCT) 图像。然后将强度和延迟 PS-OCT 图像以及其中观察到的异常与使用微分干涉对比 (DIC) 光学光学显微镜获得的组织切片的高分辨率图像进行比较和验证。

结果

PS-OCT 系统能够对整个马骨软骨单元进行成像，并允许描绘关节的三个结构分化区域，即关节软骨基质、钙化软骨区域和下方的软骨下骨。重要的是，PS-OCT 成像能够检测到在没有解剖和/或显微镜检查的情况下不可见的潜在基质和骨骼变化。

结论

PS-OCT 具有巨大的潜力来检测已知与关节组织退化的早期阶段相关的、非侵入性的表面下微结构变化。