Determination of burn depth by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

Burn depth assessment is a key step guiding the treatment plan in patients who have sustained thermal injuries. We have developed a technique, polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT), to provide the physician with a quantitative estimate of actual burn depth. We generated burns of various depths by contacting rates with a brass rod preheated to 75 degrees for 5, 15, or 30 seconds. PS-OCT imags birefringence in biological tissue, through the depth resolved changes in the polarization state of light propagated and reflected from the sample. Preliminary result are presented that show a correlation between the loss of birefringence due to thermal injury and the actual burn depth determined by histological analysis. PS-OCT is a noninvasive technique which potentially can give physicians the accuracy to formulate the best treatment plan for burn patients.

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