Chronic rhinitis (CR) is among the most frequent inflammatory diseases of ear-nose-throat (ENT) covering up to 30% of the population. Different forms of CR require different treatment tactics, which indicates the need for an efficient tool for differential diagnostics of CR. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a promising tool for fast non-invasive evaluation of nasal mucosa, which, however, requires further interpretation of the obtained diagnostic image. In this paper, we provide a comparative analysis of several machine learning approaches that aim at automated differential diagnostics of CR based on diagnostic OCT images of 78 patients aged between 28 and 74 ages. Gradient boosting decision trees (GBT) approach reveals the best classification accuracy (98% and 94% for binary and diagnostic classification, respectively). It shows that proposed approaches have potential for automated classification of CR OCT images.

Comparative analysis of single-and dual-wavelength photodynamic therapy regimes with chlorin-based photosensitizers: animal study," J.Abstract. Two pronounced absorption peaks in blue and red ranges of the chlorin-based photosensitizer (PS) absorption spectrum provide additional benefits in photodynamic therapy (PDT) performance. Differing optical properties of biological tissues in these ranges allow for both dual-wavelength diagnostics and PDT performance. We provide a comparative analysis of different PDT regimes performed with blue and red lights and their combination, with doses varying from 50 to 150 J∕cm 2 . The study was performed on the intact skin of a rabbit ear inner surface, with the use of chlorin e6 as a PS. PDT procedure protocol included monitoring of the treated site with fluorescence imaging technique to evaluate PS accumulation and photobleaching, as well as with optical coherence tomography (OCT) to register morphological and functional responses of the tissue. Optical diagnostic observations were compared with the results of histopathology examination. We demonstrated that PDT procedures with the considered regimes induce weaker organism reaction manifested by edema in normal tissue as compared to irradiation-only exposures with the same light doses. The light doses delivered with red light induce weaker tissue reaction as compared to the same doses delivered with blue light only or with a combination of red and blue lights in equal parts. Results of in-vivo OCT monitoring of tissue reaction are in agreement with the results of histopathology study.

Abstract:The object of the study was to demonstrate the abilities of optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique in diagnostics of inflammatory processes in ear, nose, and throat (ENT). When used in diagnostics of the nose and pharynx, OCT facilitates differential diagnostics of rhinitis enabling differentiation between the normal state, two stages of allergic rhinitis, vasomotor and atrophic rhinitis and diagnostics of pharyngitis. This paper also demonstrates the ability of OCT to monitor changes in pharynx induced by cryotherapy. In diagnostics of the tympanic cavity the ability of OCT to differentiate between different stages of chronic otitis and retraction of the tympanic membrane is demonstrated. Finally a correlation is discussed between morphologic alterations induced by inflammatory processes and changes in diagnostic OCT images.

The aim of the study is to develop approaches for fluorescence monitoring and planning of photodynamic therapy employing chlorine series photosensitizers. Materials and Methods. The study included numerical simulations and experiments with optical agar phantoms of biotissue and human skin in vivo. Fluorescence imaging was used as a method of optical monitoring. Chlorine series photosensitizer Photoditazin (Veta Grand, Russia) was employed. Numerical simulation of light propagation was performed with Monte-Carlo technique for a multilayer skin model. Results. It was demonstrated that in the case of two-wavelength fluorescence monitoring of photosensitizer penetration into the tissue the ratio of fluorescence signals excited at wavelengths of 405 and 660 nm can be used as a characteristic of photosensitizer penetration depth in biological tissue. The results of numerical simulations are in good agreement with the results of model experiments on agar phantoms and pilot in vivo experiment. Radiant exposure and absorbed light dose maps at the wavelengths of 405 and 660 nm were calculated employing Monte-Carlo technique; the dependencies of the characteristic dose values on the optical properties of the medium were analyzed. Conclusion. Two-wave fluorescence imaging technique allows for non-invasive estimation of chlorine series photosensitizer penetration depth into the biotissue after topical application, while numerical simulation by Monte-Carlo method allows for more accurate choice of the light exposure dose for photodynamic therapy depending on optical properties of the tissue and the radiation wavelength.

Employment of chlorin-based photosensitizers (PSs) provides additional advantages to photodynamic therapy (PDT) due to absorption peak around 405 nm allowing for superficial impact and efficient antimicrobial therapy. We report on the morphological and clinical study of the efficiency of PDT at 405 nm employing chlorin-based PS. Numerical studies demonstrated difference in the distribution of absorbed dose at 405 nm in comparison with traditionally employed wavelength of 660 nm and difference in the in-depth absorbed dose distribution for skin and mucous tissues. Morphological study was performed at the inner surface of rabbit ear with histological examinations at different periods after PDT procedure. Animal study revealed tissue reaction to PDT consisting in edema manifested most in 3 days after the procedure and neoangiogenesis. OCT diagnostics was confirmed by histological examination. Clinical study included antimicrobial PDT of pharynx chronic inflammatory diseases. It revealed no side effects or complications of the PDT procedure. Pharyngoscopy indicated reduction of inflammatory manifestations, and, in particular cases, hypervascularization was observed. Morphological changes were also detected in the course of monitoring, which are in agreement with pharyngoscopy results. Microbiologic study after PDT revealed no pathogenic bacteria; however, in particular cases, saprophytic flora was detected.

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Хронический ринит (ХР)-распространенное воспалительное заболевание, значительно влияющее на качество жизни. Диф ференциальная диагностика различных форм ХР затруднена изза отсутствия объективных безопасных методов, основанных на морфологической верификации. Цель исследования-показать возможность оптической когерентной томографии (ОКТ) для дифференциальной диагно стики различных форм ХР. Исследование проведено на базе ЛОРотделения ГБУЗ НО «Нижегородская областная клиниче ская больница им. Н.А. Семашко». С помощью ОКТ обследован 51 пациент в возрасте 32-74 лет. Предложен метод класси фикации диагностических изображений слизистой оболочки носа, основанный на аппроксимации гистограммы изображения аналитической функцией. В работе показано, что ОКТ способна неинвазивно в режиме реального времени детектировать морфофункциональные особенности слизистой оболочки полости носа в норме и при различной воспалительной патологии. Автоматизированная классификация дает возможность объективизировать трактовку ОКТизображений, обеспечивая чув ствительность метода на уровне 89%. Использование метода ОКТ позволит улучшить дифференциальную диагностику раз личных форм ХР и оптимизировать лечебную тактику.

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