Optical coherence tomography of the cochlea in the porcine model

Abstract

Objectives/hypothesis: To demonstrate the feasibility of optical coherence tomography in microstructural imaging of the porcine cochlea.

Study design: Ex vivo, porcine model.

Methods: Optical coherence tomographic images of the porcine cochlea were obtained by thinning the bone from the basal turn of the cochlea leaving the endosteum intact. The images were compared with the corresponding histological sections.

Results: In the areas of thinned bone, images were obtained of the stria vascularis, Reissner's membrane, basilar membrane, tectorial membrane, scala media, scala tympani, and scala vestibuli. The bone was too thick for adequate light penetration in the areas where it was not thinned. Good histological correlation was obtained.

Conclusions: Cochlear and vestibular microanatomic structures of the pig cochlea were clearly identified with histological confirmation, suggesting the potential application of this noninvasive imaging modality for in vivo imaging of the human cochlea.

Fig. 1

Optical coherence tomography imaging stage.

Fig. 2

(A) Optical coherence tomography image of the basal turn of the cochlea as seen through the thinned promontory. (B) Corresponding hematoxylin and eosin stained histological section (please note that due to sectioning artifact, there is a disruption of the thinned bone of the promontory). Arrow head, thinned bone of the promontory; thin arrow, Reissner membrane; wide arrow, osseous spiral lamina; star, spiral limbus; sv, scala vestibule; sm, scala media; st, scala tympani.