Optical microscopy is an indispensable diagnostic tool in modern healthcare. As a prime example, pathologists rely exclusively on light microscopy to investigate tissue morphology in order to make a diagnosis. While advances in light microscopy and contrast markers allow pathologists to visualize cells and tissues in unprecedented detail, the interpretation of these images remains largely subjective, leading to inter‐ and intra‐observer discrepancy. Furthermore, conventional microscopy images capture qualitative information which makes it difficult to automate the process, reducing the throughput achievable in the diagnostic workflow. Quantitative Phase Imaging (QPI) techniques have been advanced in recent years to address these two challenges. By quantifying physical parameters of cells and tissues, these systems remove subjectivity from the disease diagnosis process and allow for easier automation to increase throughput. In addition to providing quantitative information, QPI systems are also label‐free and can be easily assimilated into the current diagnostic workflow in the clinic. In this paper we review the advances made in disease diagnosis by QPI techniques. We focus on the areas of hematological diagnosis and cancer pathology, which are the areas where most significant advances have been made to date.
Otitis media (OM), a middle-ear infection, is the most common childhood illness treated by pediatricians. If inadequately treated, OM can result in long-term chronic problems persisting into adulthood. Children with chronic OM or recurrent OM often have conductive hearing loss and communication difficulties and require surgical treatment. Tympanostomy tube insertion, the placement of a small drainage tube in the tympanic membrane (TM), is the most common surgical procedure performed in children under general anesthesia. Recent clinical studies have shown evidence of a direct correspondence between chronic OM and the presence of a bacterial biofilm within the middle ear. Biofilms are typically very thin and cannot be recognized using a regular otoscope. Here we report the use of optical coherent ranging techniques to noninvasively assess the middle ear to detect and quantify biofilm microstructure. This study involves adults with chronic OM, which is generally accepted as a biofilm-related disease. Based on more than 18,537 optical ranging scans and 742 images from 13 clinically infected patients and 7 normal controls using clinical findings as the gold standard, all middle ears with chronic OM showed evidence of biofilms, and all normal ears did not. Information on the presence of a biofilm, along with its structure and response to antibiotic treatment, will not only provide a better fundamental understanding of biofilm formation, growth, and eradication in the middle ear, but also may provide much-needed quantifiable data to enable early detection and quantitative longitudinal treatment monitoring of middle-ear biofilms responsible for chronic OM.optical coherence tomography | primary care imaging | low-coherence interferometry | otoscopy | otolaryngology O titis media (OM) is a middle-ear infection often caused by bacteria growth between the tympanic membrane (TM) and the inner ear. Middle-ear infections occur in approximately 75% of children by age 3 y, and ear infections are the most common childhood illness treated by pediatricians (1, 2). Young children often acquire ear infections after upper respiratory tract infections or allergic reactions to foods or environmental allergens. Adults account for almost 20% of the annual visits for OM (3). Characterization of middle-ear infections is currently based on symptoms, duration, otoscopic observation, and physical diagnosis. The most common type is acute OM (AOM), a rapid-onset infection with one or more symptoms including otalgia, fever, and irritability. In AOM, physicians often see an abnormal-appearing TM on pneumatic otoscopy, including bulging, opacity, effusion, and decreased mobility. Most cases of AOM clear in 1 or 2 w, and antibiotics are frequently used. Recurrent AOM and OM with effusion are considered chronic OM. These diseases often cause long-term or permanent ear damage, which is linked to hearing loss and speech delay in small children if inadequately treated. Most cases of chronic OM do not respond to antibiotic treatment (4, 5), and thus surg...
We present a three-dimensional (3D) endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) system based on a dual-axis scanning microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror. The diameter of the MEMS mirror was 1.2mm and both axes were capable of scanning greater than 20° with linearity. The endoscopic MEMS probe was integrated with an OCT system and volume images were obtained at a rate of 3frames∕s by means of two-axis lateral scanning combined with an axial scan. In the initial investigations, 3D OCT images of healthy rabbit trachea as well as images of normal and cancerous regions of hamster cheek pouch tissue were obtained.
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