Serial optical coherence scanner for large-scale brain imaging at microscopic resolution

Enhanced Multiscale Human Brain Imaging by Semi-supervised Digital Staining and Serial Sectioning Optical Coherence Tomography

A major challenge in neuroscience is to visualize the structure of the human brain at different scales. Traditional histology reveals micro- and meso-scale brain features, but suffers from staining variability, tissue damage and distortion that impedes accurate 3D reconstructions. Here, we present a new 3D imaging framework that combines serial sectioning optical coherence tomography (S-OCT) with a deep-learning digital staining (DS) model. We develop a novel semi-supervised learning technique to facilitate DS model training on weakly paired images. The DS model performs translation from S-OCT to Gallyas silver staining. We demonstrate DS on various human cerebral cortex samples with consistent staining quality. Additionally, we show that DS enhances contrast across cortical layer boundaries. Furthermore, we showcase geometry-preserving 3D DS on cubic-centimeter tissue blocks and visualization of meso-scale vessel networks in the white matter. We believe that our technique offers the potential for high-throughput, multiscale imaging of brain tissues and may facilitate studies of brain structures.

A Proposed Human Structural Brain Connectivity Matrix in the Center for Morphometric Analysis Harvard-Oxford Atlas Framework: A Historical Perspective and Future Direction for Enhancing the Precision of Human Structural Connectivity with a Novel Neuroanatomical Typology

A complete structural definition of the human nervous system must include delineation of its wiring diagram (e.g., Swanson LW. Brain architecture: understanding the basic plan, 2012). The complete formulation of the human brain circuit diagram (BCD [Front Neuroanat. 2020;14:18]) has been hampered by an inability to determine connections in their entirety (i.e., not only pathway stems but also origins and terminations). From a structural point of view, a neuroanatomic formulation of the BCD should include the origins and terminations of each fiber tract as well as the topographic course of the fiber tract in three dimensions. Classic neuroanatomical studies have provided trajectory information for pathway stems and their speculative origins and terminations [Dejerine J and Dejerine-Klumpke A. Anatomie des Centres Nerveux, 1901; Dejerine J and Dejerine-Klumpke A. Anatomie des Centres Nerveux: Méthodes générales d'étude-embryologie-histogénèse et histologie. Anatomie du cerveau, 1895; Ludwig E and Klingler J. Atlas cerebri humani, 1956; Makris N. Delineation of human association fiber pathways using histologic and magnetic resonance methodologies; 1999; Neuroimage. 1999 Jan;9(1):18-45]. We have summarized these studies previously [Neuroimage. 1999 Jan;9(1):18-45] and present them here in a macroscale-level human cerebral structural connectivity matrix. A matrix in the present context is an organizational construct that embodies anatomical knowledge about cortical areas and their connections. This is represented in relation to parcellation units according to the Harvard-Oxford Atlas neuroanatomical framework established by the Center for Morphometric Analysis at Massachusetts General Hospital in the early 2000s, which is based on the MRI volumetrics paradigm of Dr. Verne Caviness and colleagues [Brain Dev. 1999 Jul;21(5):289-95]. This is a classic connectional matrix based mainly on data predating the advent of DTI tractography, which we refer to as the "pre-DTI era" human structural connectivity matrix. In addition, we present representative examples that incorporate validated structural connectivity information from nonhuman primates and more recent information on human structural connectivity emerging from DTI tractography studies. We refer to this as the "DTI era" human structural connectivity matrix. This newer matrix represents a work in progress and is necessarily incomplete due to the lack of validated human connectivity findings on origins and terminations as well as pathway stems. Importantly, we use a neuroanatomical typology to characterize different types of connections in the human brain, which is critical for organizing the matrices and the prospective database. Although substantial in detail, the present matrices may be assumed to be only partially complete because the sources of data relating to human fiber system organization are limited largely to inferences from gross dissections of anatomic specimens or extrapolations of pathway tracing information from nonhuman primate experiments [Front Neuroanat. 2020;14:18, Front Neuroanat. 2022;16:1035420, and Brain Imaging Behav. 2021;15(3):1589-1621]. These matrices, which embody a systematic description of cerebral connectivity, can be used in cognitive and clinical studies in neuroscience and, importantly, to guide research efforts for further elucidating, validating, and completing the human BCD [Front Neuroanat. 2020;14:18].

Volumetric Characterization of Microvasculature in Ex Vivo Human Brain Samples By Serial Sectioning Optical Coherence Tomography

OBJECTIVE

Serial sectioning optical coherence tomography (OCT) enables accurate volumetric reconstruction of several cubic centimeters of human brain samples. We aimed to identify anatomical features of the ex vivo human brain, such as intraparenchymal blood vessels and axonal fiber bundles, from the OCT data in 3D, using intrinsic optical contrast.

METHODS

We developed an automatic processing pipeline to enable characterization of the intraparenchymal microvascular network in human brain samples.

RESULTS

We demonstrated the automatic extraction of the vessels down to a 20 μm in diameter using a filtering strategy followed by a graphing representation and characterization of the geometrical properties of microvascular network in 3D. We also showed the ability to extend this processing strategy to extract axonal fiber bundles from the volumetric OCT image.

CONCLUSION

This method provides a viable tool for quantitative characterization of volumetric microvascular network as well as the axonal bundle properties in normal and pathological tissues of the ex vivo human brain.

Post mortem mapping of connectional anatomy for the validation of diffusion MRI

Diffusion MRI (dMRI) is a unique tool for the study of brain circuitry, as it allows us to image both the macroscopic trajectories and the microstructural properties of axon bundles in vivo. The Human Connectome Project ushered in an era of impressive advances in dMRI acquisition and analysis. As a result of these efforts, the quality of dMRI data that could be acquired in vivo improved substantially, and large collections of such data became widely available. Despite this progress, the main limitation of dMRI remains: it does not image axons directly, but only provides indirect measurements based on the diffusion of water molecules. Thus, it must be validated by methods that allow direct visualization of axons but that can only be performed in post mortem brain tissue. In this review, we discuss methods for validating the various features of connectional anatomy that are extracted from dMRI, both at the macro-scale (trajectories of axon bundles), and at micro-scale (axonal orientations and other microstructural properties). We present a range of validation tools, including anatomic tracer studies, Klingler's dissection, myelin stains, label-free optical imaging techniques, and others. We provide an overview of the basic principles of each technique, its limitations, and what it has taught us so far about the accuracy of different dMRI acquisition and analysis approaches.

OCT-Guided Surgery for Gliomas: Current Concept and Future Perspectives

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been recently suggested as a promising method to obtain in vivo and real-time high-resolution images of tissue structure in brain tumor surgery. This review focuses on the basics of OCT imaging, types of OCT images and currently suggested OCT scanner devices and the results of their application in neurosurgery. OCT can assist in achieving intraoperative precision identification of tumor infiltration within surrounding brain parenchyma by using qualitative or quantitative OCT image analysis of scanned tissue. OCT is able to identify tumorous tissue and blood vessels detection during stereotactic biopsy procedures. The combination of OCT with traditional imaging such as MRI, ultrasound and 5-ALA fluorescence has the potential to increase the safety and accuracy of the resection. OCT can improve the extent of resection by offering the direct visualization of tumor with cellular resolution when using microscopic OCT contact probes. The theranostic implementation of OCT as a part of intelligent optical diagnosis and automated lesion localization and ablation could achieve high precision, automation and intelligence in brain tumor surgery. We present this review for the increase of knowledge and formation of critical opinion in the field of OCT implementation in brain tumor surgery.

Neurophotonic tools for microscopic measurements and manipulation: status report

Neurophotonics was launched in 2014 coinciding with the launch of the BRAIN Initiative focused on development of technologies for advancement of neuroscience. For the last seven years, Neurophotonics' agenda has been well aligned with this focus on neurotechnologies featuring new optical methods and tools applicable to brain studies. While the BRAIN Initiative 2.0 is pivoting towards applications of these novel tools in the quest to understand the brain, this status report reviews an extensive and diverse toolkit of novel methods to explore brain function that have emerged from the BRAIN Initiative and related large-scale efforts for measurement and manipulation of brain structure and function. Here, we focus on neurophotonic tools mostly applicable to animal studies. A companion report, scheduled to appear later this year, will cover diffuse optical imaging methods applicable to noninvasive human studies. For each domain, we outline the current state-of-the-art of the respective technologies, identify the areas where innovation is needed, and provide an outlook for the future directions.

Comparison of Noninvasive Imagery Methods to Observe Healthy and Degenerated Olfactory Epithelium in Mice for the Early Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Olfactory dysfunction could be an early and reliable indicator for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer and Parkinson's diseases. In this paper, we compare the potential of different noninvasive medical imaging modalities (optical coherence tomography, confocal microscopy, and fluorescence endomicroscopy) to distinguish how the olfactory epithelium, both at the cellular and the structural levels, is altered. Investigations were carried out on three experimental groups: two pathological groups (mice models with deliberately altered olfactory epithelium and Alzheimer's disease transgenic mice models) were compared with healthy mice models. As histological staining, the three tested noninvasive imaging tools demonstrated the general tubular organization of the olfactory epithelium on healthy mice. Contrary to OCT, confocal microscopy, and endomicroscopy allowed visualizing the inner structure of olfactory epithelium as well as its morphological or functional changes on pathological models, alterations classically observed with histological assessment. The results could lead to relevant development of imaging tools for noninvasive and early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases through the in situ characterization of the olfactory epithelium.

Ex-vivo Alzheimer's disease brain tissue investigation: a multiscale approach using 1060-nm swept source optical coherence tomography for a direct correlation to histology

Significance: Amyloid-beta ( A - β ) plaques are pathological protein deposits formed in the brain of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients upon disease progression. Further research is needed to elucidate the complex underlying mechanisms involved in their formation using label-free, tissue preserving, and volumetric techniques. Aim: The aim is to achieve a one-to-one correlation of optical coherence tomography (OCT) data to histological micrographs of brain tissue using 1060-nm swept source OCT. Approach: A - β plaques were investigated in ex-vivo AD brain tissue using OCT with the capability of switching between two magnifications. For the exact correlation to histology, a 3D-printed tool was designed to generate samples with parallel flat surfaces. Large field-of-view (FoV) and sequentially high-resolution volumes at different locations were acquired. The large FoV served to align the OCT to histology images; the high-resolution images were used to visualize fine details. Results: The instrument and the presented method enabled an accurate correlation of histological micrographs with OCT data. A - β plaques were identified as hyperscattering features in both FoV OCT modalities. The plaques identified in volumetric OCT data were in good agreement with immunohistochemically derived micrographs. Conclusion: OCT combined with the 3D-printed tool is a promising approach for label-free, nondestructive, volumetric, and fast tissue analysis.

How Human Is Human Connectional Neuroanatomy?

The structure of the human brain has been studied extensively. Despite all the knowledge accrued, direct information about connections, from origin to termination, in the human brain is extremely limited. Yet there is a widespread misperception that human connectional neuroanatomy is well-established and validated. In this article, we consider what is known directly about human structural and connectional neuroanatomy. Information on neuroanatomical connections in the human brain is derived largely from studies in non-human experimental models in which the entire connectional pathway, including origins, course, and terminations, is directly visualized. Techniques to examine structural connectivity in the human brain are progressing rapidly; nevertheless, our present understanding of such connectivity is limited largely to data derived from homological comparisons, particularly with non-human primates. We take the position that an in-depth and more precise understanding of human connectional neuroanatomy will be obtained by a systematic application of this homological approach.

Speckle modulation enables high-resolution wide-field human brain tumor margin detection and in vivo murine neuroimaging

Current in vivo neuroimaging techniques provide limited field of view or spatial resolution and often require exogenous contrast. These limitations prohibit detailed structural imaging across wide fields of view and hinder intraoperative tumor margin detection. Here we present a novel neuroimaging technique, speckle-modulating optical coherence tomography (SM-OCT), which allows us to image the brains of live mice and ex vivo human samples with unprecedented resolution and wide field of view using only endogenous contrast. The increased visibility provided by speckle elimination reveals white matter fascicles and cortical layer architecture in brains of live mice. To our knowledge, the data reported herein represents the highest resolution imaging of murine white matter structure achieved in vivo across a wide field of view of several millimeters. When applied to an orthotopic murine glioblastoma xenograft model, SM-OCT readily identifies brain tumor margins with resolution of approximately 10 μm. SM-OCT of ex vivo human temporal lobe tissue reveals fine structures including cortical layers and myelinated axons. Finally, when applied to an ex vivo sample of a low-grade glioma resection margin, SM-OCT is able to resolve the brain tumor margin. Based on these findings, SM-OCT represents a novel approach for intraoperative tumor margin detection and in vivo neuroimaging.

Contrast-enhanced serial optical coherence scanner with deep learning network reveals vasculature and white matter organization of mouse brain

Optical coherence tomography provides volumetric reconstruction of brain structure with micrometer resolution. Gray matter and white matter can be highlighted using conventional and polarization-based contrasts; however, vasculature in ex-vivo fixed brain has not been investigated at large scale due to lack of intrinsic contrast. We present contrast enhancement to visualize the vasculature by perfusing titanium dioxide particles transcardially into the mouse vascular system. The brain, after dissection and fixation, is imaged by a serial optical coherence scanner. Accumulation of particles in blood vessels generates distinguishable optical signals. Among these, the cross-polarization images reveal the vasculature organization remarkably well. The conventional and polarization-based contrasts are still available for probing the gray matter and white matter structures. The segmentation and reconstruction of the vasculature are presented by using a deep learning algorithm. Axonal fiber pathways in the mouse brain are delineated by utilizing the retardance and optic axis orientation contrasts. This is a low-cost method that can be further developed to study neurovascular diseases and brain injury in animal models.

Cross-Polarization Optical Coherence Tomography for Brain Tumor Imaging

This paper considers valuable visual assessment criteria for distinguishing between tumorous and non-tumorous tissues, intraoperatively, using cross-polarization OCT (CP OCT)—OCT with a functional extension, that enables detection of the polarization properties of the tissues in addition to their conventional light scattering.

Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 176 ex vivo human specimens obtained from 30 glioma patients. To measure the degree to which the typical parameters of CP OCT images can be matched to the actual histology, 100 images of tumors and white matter were selected for visual analysis to be undertaken by three “single-blinded” investigators. An evaluation of the inter-rater reliability between the investigators was performed. Application of the identified visual CP OCT criteria for intraoperative use was performed during brain tumor resection in 17 patients.

Results: The CP OCT image parameters that can typically be used for visual assessment were separated: (1) signal intensity; (2) homogeneity of intensity; (3) attenuation rate; (4) uniformity of attenuation. The degree of match between the CP OCT images and the histology of the specimens was significant for the parameters “signal intensity” in both polarizations, and “homogeneity of intensity” as well as the “uniformity of attenuation” in co-polarization. A test based on the identified criteria showed a diagnostic accuracy of 87–88%. Intraoperative in vivo CP OCT images of white matter and tumors have similar signals to ex vivo ones, whereas the cortex in vivo is characterized by indicative vertical striations arising from the “shadows” of the blood vessels; these are not seen in ex vivo images or in the case of tumor invasion.

Conclusion: Visual assessment of CP OCT images enables tumorous and non-tumorous tissues to be distinguished. The most powerful aspect of CP OCT images that can be used as a criterion for differentiation between tumorous tissue and white matter is the signal intensity. In distinguishing white matter from tumors the diagnostic accuracy using the identified visual CP OCT criteria was 87–88%. As the CP OCT data is easily associated with intraoperative neurophysiological and neuronavigation findings this can provide valuable complementary information for the neurosurgeon tumor resection.

Decoding the microstructural correlate of diffusion MRI

Diffusion imaging has evolved considerably over the past decade. While it provides valuable information about the structural connectivity at the macro- and mesoscopic scale, bridging the gap to the microstructure at the level of single nerve fibers poses an enormous challenge. This is particularly true for the human brain with its large size, its large white-matter volume and availability of histological techniques for studying human whole-brain sections and subsequent 3D reconstruction. Classic post-mortem techniques for studying the fiber architecture of the brain, such as myeloarchitectonic staining or dye tracing, are complemented by novel histological approaches, such as 3D polarized light imaging or optical coherence tomography, enabling unique insight into the fiber architecture from large fiber bundles within deep white matter to single nerve fibers in the cortex. The present review discusses the benefits and challenges of these latest developments in comparison with the classic techniques, with particular focus on the mutual exchange between in vivo and post-mortem diffusion imaging and post-mortem microstructural approaches for understanding the wiring of the brain across different scales.

Voxel-Based Statistical Analysis of 3D Immunostained Tissue Imaging

Recently developed techniques to visualize immunostained tissues in 3D and in large samples have expanded the scope of microscopic investigations at the level of the whole brain. Here, we propose to adapt voxel-based statistical analysis to 3D high-resolution images of the immunostained rodent brain. The proposed approach was first validated with a simulation dataset with known cluster locations. Then, it was applied to characterize the effect of ADAM30, a gene involved in the metabolism of the amyloid precursor protein, in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. This work introduces voxel-based analysis of 3D immunostained microscopic brain images and, therefore, opens the door to localized whole-brain exploratory investigation of pathological markers and cellular alterations.

Fully automated dual-resolution serial optical coherence tomography aimed at diffusion MRI validation in whole mouse brains

An automated dual-resolution serial optical coherence tomography (2R-SOCT) scanner is developed. The serial histology system combines a low-resolution ( 25    μ m / voxel ) 3 × OCT with a high-resolution ( 1.5    μ m / voxel ) 40 × OCT to acquire whole mouse brains at low resolution and to target specific regions of interest (ROIs) at high resolution. The 40 × ROIs positions are selected either manually by the microscope operator or using an automated ROI positioning selection algorithm. Additionally, a multimodal and multiresolution registration pipeline is developed in order to align the 2R-SOCT data onto diffusion MRI (dMRI) data acquired in the same ex vivo mouse brains prior to automated histology. Using this imaging system, 3 whole mouse brains are imaged, and 250 high-resolution 40 × three-dimensional ROIs are acquired. The capability of this system to perform multimodal imaging studies is demonstrated by labeling the ROIs using a mouse brain atlas and by categorizing the ROIs based on their associated dMRI measures. This reveals a good correspondence of the tissue microstructure imaged by the high-resolution OCT with various dMRI measures such as fractional anisotropy, number of fiber orientations, apparent fiber density, orientation dispersion, and intracellular volume fraction.

Derivation of Fiber Orientations From Oblique Views Through Human Brain Sections in 3D-Polarized Light Imaging

3D-Polarized Light Imaging (3D-PLI) enables high-resolution three-dimensional mapping of the nerve fiber architecture in unstained histological brain sections based on the intrinsic birefringence of myelinated nerve fibers. The interpretation of the measured birefringent signals comes with conjointly measured information about the local fiber birefringence strength and the fiber orientation. In this study, we present a novel approach to disentangle both parameters from each other based on a weighted least squares routine (ROFL) applied to oblique polarimetric 3D-PLI measurements. This approach was compared to a previously described analytical method on simulated and experimental data obtained from a post mortem human brain. Analysis of the simulations revealed in case of ROFL a distinctly increased level of confidence to determine steep and flat fiber orientations with respect to the brain sectioning plane. Based on analysis of histological sections of a human brain dataset, it was demonstrated that ROFL provides a coherent characterization of cortical, subcortical, and white matter regions in terms of fiber orientation and birefringence strength, within and across sections. Oblique measurements combined with ROFL analysis opens up new ways to determine physical brain tissue properties by means of 3D-PLI microscopy.

Whole brain vascular imaging in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease with two-photon microscopy

Given known correlations between vascular health and cognitive impairment, the development of tools to image microvasculature in the whole brain could help investigate these correlations. We explore the feasibility of using an automated serial two-photon microscope to image fluorescent gelatin-filled whole rodent brains in three-dimensions (3-D) with the goal of carrying group studies. Vascular density (VD) was computed using automatic segmentation combined with coregistration techniques to build a group-level vascular metric in the whole brain. Focusing on the medial prefrontal cortex, cerebral cortex, the olfactory bulb, and the hippocampal formation, we compared the VD of three age groups (2-, 4.5-, and 8-months-old), for both wild type mice and a transgenic model (APP/PS1) with pathology resembling Alzheimer's disease (AD). We report a general loss of VD caused by the aging process with a small VD increase in the diseased animals in the somatomotor and somatosensory cortical regions and the olfactory bulb, partly supported by MRI perfusion data. This study supports previous observations that AD transgenic mice show a higher VD in specific regions compared with WT mice during the early and late stages of the disease (4.5 to 8 months), extending results to whole brain mapping.

Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography reveals gray matter and white matter atrophy in SCA1 mouse models

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a fatal inherited neurodegenerative disease. In this study, we demonstrate the label-free optical imaging methodology that can detect, with a high degree of sensitivity, discrete areas of degeneration in the cerebellum of the SCA1 mouse models. We used ATXN1[82Q] and ATXN1[30Q]-D776 mice in which the transgene is directed only to Purkinje cells. Molecular layer, granular layer, and white matter regions are analyzed using the intrinsic contrasts provided by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. Cerebellar atrophy in SCA1 mice occurred both in gray matter and white matter. While gray matter atrophy is obvious, indications of white matter atrophy including different birefringence characteristics, and shortened and contorted branches are observed. Imaging results clearly show the loss or atrophy of myelinated axons in ATXN1[82Q] mice. The method provides unbiased contrasts that can facilitate the understanding of the pathological progression in neurodegenerative diseases and other neural disorders.

Optical coherence tomography for precision brain imaging, neurosurgical guidance and minimally invasive theranostics

This review focuses on optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based neurosurgical application for imaging and treatment of brain tumors. OCT has emerged as one of the most innovative and successful translational biomedical-diagnostic techniques. It is a useful imaging tool for noninvasive, in vivo, in situ and real-time imaging in soft biological tissues, such as brain tumor imaging. OCT can detect the structure of biological tissue in a micrometer scale, and functional OCT has some clinical researches and applications, such as nerve fiber tracts and neurovascular imaging. OCT is able to identify tumor margins, and it gives intraoperative precision identification and resection guidance. OCT-based theranostics is introduced into preclinical neurosurgical resection, such as the integration of OCT and laser ablation. We discuss the challenges and opportunities of OCT-based system in the field of combination of intraoperative structural and functional imaging, neurosurgical guidance and minimally invasive theranostics. We point out that OCT and laser ablation-based theranostics can give more precision and intelligence for intraoperative diagnosis and therapeutics in clinical applications. The theranostics can precisely locate, or specifically target cancerous tissues, and then as much as possiblly eliminate them.

as-PSOCT: Volumetric microscopic imaging of human brain architecture and connectivity

Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) with serial sectioning has enabled the investigation of 3D structures in mouse and human brain tissue samples. By using intrinsic optical properties of back-scattering and birefringence, PSOCT reliably images cytoarchitecture, myeloarchitecture and fiber orientations. In this study, we developed a fully automatic serial sectioning polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (as-PSOCT) system to enable volumetric reconstruction of human brain samples with unprecedented sample size and resolution. The 3.5 μm in-plane resolution and 50 μm through-plane voxel size allow inspection of cortical layers that are a single-cell in width, as well as small crossing fibers. We show the abilities of as-PSOCT in quantifying layer thicknesses of the cerebellar cortex and creating microscopic tractography of intricate fiber networks in the subcortical nuclei and internal capsule regions, all based on volumetric reconstructions. as-PSOCT provides a viable tool for studying quantitative cytoarchitecture and myeloarchitecture and mapping connectivity with microscopic resolution in the human brain.

Comparing three-dimensional serial optical coherence tomography histology to MRI imaging in the entire mouse brain

An automated serial histology setup combining optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging with vibratome sectioning was used to image eight wild type mouse brains. The datasets resulted in thousands of volumetric tiles resolved at a voxel size of (4.9×4.9×6.5)  μm3 stitched back together to give a three-dimensional map of the brain from which a template OCT brain was obtained. To assess deformation caused by tissue sectioning, reconstruction algorithms, and fixation, OCT datasets were compared to both in vivo and ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging. The OCT brain template yielded a highly detailed map of the brain structure, with a high contrast in white matter fiber bundles and was highly resemblant to the in vivo MRI template. Brain labeling using the Allen brain framework showed little variation in regional brain volume among imaging modalities with no statistical differences. The high correspondence between the OCT template brain and its in vivo counterpart demonstrates the potential of whole brain histology to validate in vivo imaging.

Characterizing the optical properties of human brain tissue with high numerical aperture optical coherence tomography

Quantification of tissue optical properties with optical coherence tomography (OCT) has proven to be useful in evaluating structural characteristics and pathological changes. Previous studies primarily used an exponential model to analyze low numerical aperture (NA) OCT measurements and obtain the total attenuation coefficient for biological tissue. In this study, we develop a systematic method that includes the confocal parameter for modeling the depth profiles of high NA OCT, when the confocal parameter cannot be ignored. This approach enables us to quantify tissue optical properties with higher lateral resolution. The model parameter predictions for the scattering coefficients were tested with calibrated microsphere phantoms. The application of the model to human brain tissue demonstrates that the scattering and back-scattering coefficients each provide unique information, allowing us to differentially identify laminar structures in primary visual cortex and distinguish various nuclei in the midbrain. The combination of the two optical properties greatly enhances the power of OCT to distinguish intricate structures in the human brain beyond what is achievable with measured OCT intensity information alone, and therefore has the potential to enable objective evaluation of normal brain structure as well as pathological conditions in brain diseases. These results represent a promising step for enabling the quantification of tissue optical properties from high NA OCT.

Design and validation of diffusion MRI models of white matter

Diffusion MRI is arguably the method of choice for characterizing white matter microstructure in vivo. Over the typical duration of diffusion encoding, the displacement of water molecules is conveniently on a length scale similar to that of the underlying cellular structures. Moreover, water molecules in white matter are largely compartmentalized which enables biologically-inspired compartmental diffusion models to characterize and quantify the true biological microstructure. A plethora of white matter models have been proposed. However, overparameterization and mathematical fitting complications encourage the introduction of simplifying assumptions that vary between different approaches. These choices impact the quantitative estimation of model parameters with potential detriments to their biological accuracy and promised specificity. First, we review biophysical white matter models in use and recapitulate their underlying assumptions and realms of applicability. Second, we present up-to-date efforts to validate parameters estimated from biophysical models. Simulations and dedicated phantoms are useful in assessing the performance of models when the ground truth is known. However, the biggest challenge remains the validation of the "biological accuracy" of estimated parameters. Complementary techniques such as microscopy of fixed tissue specimens have facilitated direct comparisons of estimates of white matter fiber orientation and densities. However, validation of compartmental diffusivities remains challenging, and complementary MRI-based techniques such as alternative diffusion encodings, compartment-specific contrast agents and metabolites have been used to validate diffusion models. Finally, white matter injury and disease pose additional challenges to modeling, which are also discussed. This review aims to provide an overview of the current state of models and their validation and to stimulate further research in the field to solve the remaining open questions and converge towards consensus.

Serial optical coherence scanning reveals an association between cardiac function and the heart architecture in the aging rodent heart

Normal aging is accompanied by structural changes in the heart architecture. To explore this remodeling, we used a serial optical coherence tomography scanner to image entire mouse hearts at micron scale resolution. Ex vivo hearts of 7 young (4 months) and 5 old (24 months) C57BL/6 mice were acquired with the imaging platform. OCT of the myocardium revealed myofiber orientation changing linearly from the endocardium to the epicardium. In old mice, this rate of change was lower when compared to young mice while the average volume of old mice hearts was significantly larger (p<0.05). Myocardial wall thickening was also accompanied by extracellular spacing in the endocardium, resulting in a lower OCT attenuation coefficient in old mice endocardium (p<0.05). Prior to serial sectioning, cardiac function of the same hearts was imaged in vivo using MRI and revealed a reduced ejection fraction with aging. The use of a serial optical coherence tomography scanner allows new insight into fine age-related changes of the heart associated with changes in heart function.

Optical Coherence Tomography: Basic Concepts and Applications in Neuroscience Research

Optical coherence tomography is a micrometer-scale imaging modality that permits label-free, cross-sectional imaging of biological tissue microstructure using tissue backscattering properties. After its invention in the 1990s, OCT is now being widely used in several branches of neuroscience as well as other fields of biomedical science. This review study reports an overview of OCT's applications in several branches or subbranches of neuroscience such as neuroimaging, neurology, neurosurgery, neuropathology, and neuroembryology. This study has briefly summarized the recent applications of OCT in neuroscience research, including a comparison, and provides a discussion of the remaining challenges and opportunities in addition to future directions. The chief aim of the review study is to draw the attention of a broad neuroscience community in order to maximize the applications of OCT in other branches of neuroscience too, and the study may also serve as a benchmark for future OCT-based neuroscience research. Despite some limitations, OCT proves to be a useful imaging tool in both basic and clinical neuroscience research.

Whole mouse brain imaging using optical coherence tomography: reconstruction, normalization, segmentation, and comparison with diffusion MRI

An automated massive histology setup combined with an optical coherence tomography (OCT) microscope was used to image a total of [Formula: see text] whole mouse brains. Each acquisition generated a dataset of thousands of OCT volumetric tiles at a sampling resolution of [Formula: see text]. This paper describes techniques for reconstruction and segmentation of the sliced brains. In addition to the measured OCT optical reflectivity, a single scattering photon model was used to compute the attenuation coefficients within each tissue slice. Average mouse brain templates were generated for both the OCT reflectivity and attenuation contrasts and were used with an [Formula: see text]-tissue segmentation algorithm. To better understand the brain tissue OCT contrast origin, one of the mouse brains was acquired using dMRI and coregistered to its corresponding assembled brain. Our results indicate that the optical reflectivity in a fiber bundle varies with its orientation, its fiber density, and the number of fiber orientations it contains. The OCT mouse brain template generation and coregistration to dMRI data demonstrate the potential of this massive histology technique to pursue cross-sectional, multimodal, and multisubject investigations of small animal brains.

Spectroscopic imaging with spectral domain visible light optical coherence microscopy in Alzheimer's disease brain samples

A visible light spectral domain optical coherence microscopy system was developed. A high axial resolution of 0.88 μm in tissue was achieved using a broad visible light spectrum (425 - 685 nm). Healthy human brain tissue was imaged to quantify the difference between white (WM) and grey matter (GM) in intensity and attenuation. The high axial resolution enables the investigation of amyloid-beta plaques of various sizes in human brain tissue and animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). By performing a spectroscopic analysis of the OCM data, differences in the characteristics for WM, GM, and neuritic amyloid-beta plaques were found. To gain additional contrast, Congo red stained AD brain tissue was investigated. A first effort was made to investigate optically cleared mouse brain tissue to increase the penetration depth and visualize hyperscattering structures in deeper cortical regions.

Image-based multiscale mechanical modeling shows the importance of structural heterogeneity in the human lumbar facet capsular ligament

The lumbar facet capsular ligament (FCL) primarily consists of aligned type I collagen fibers that are mainly oriented across the joint. The aim of this study was to characterize and incorporate in-plane local fiber structure into a multiscale finite element model to predict the mechanical response of the FCL during in vitro mechanical tests, accounting for the heterogeneity in different scales. Characterization was accomplished by using entire-domain polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography to measure the fiber structure of cadaveric lumbar FCLs ([Formula: see text]). Our imaging results showed that fibers in the lumbar FCL have a highly heterogeneous distribution and are neither isotropic nor completely aligned. The averaged fiber orientation was [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] in the inferior region and [Formula: see text] in the middle and superior regions), with respect to lateral-medial direction (superior-medial to inferior-lateral). These imaging data were used to construct heterogeneous structural models, which were then used to predict experimental gross force-strain behavior and the strain distribution during equibiaxial and strip biaxial tests. For equibiaxial loading, the structural model fit the experimental data well but underestimated the lateral-medial forces by [Formula: see text]16% on average. We also observed pronounced heterogeneity in the strain field, with stretch ratios for different elements along the lateral-medial axis of sample typically ranging from about 0.95 to 1.25 during a 12% strip biaxial stretch in the lateral-medial direction. This work highlights the multiscale structural and mechanical heterogeneity of the lumbar FCL, which is significant both in terms of injury prediction and microstructural constituents' (e.g., neurons) behavior.

Label-free volumetric optical imaging of intact murine brains

A central effort of today’s neuroscience is to study the brain’s ’wiring diagram’. The nervous system is believed to be a network of neurons interacting with each other through synaptic connection between axons and dendrites, therefore the neuronal connectivity map not only depicts the underlying anatomy, but also has important behavioral implications. Different approaches have been utilized to decipher neuronal circuits, including electron microscopy (EM) and light microscopy (LM). However, these approaches typically demand extensive sectioning and reconstruction for a brain sample. Recently, tissue clearing methods have enabled the investigation of a fully assembled biological system with greatly improved light penetration. Yet, most of these implementations, still require either genetic or exogenous contrast labeling for light microscopy. Here we demonstrate a high-speed approach, termed as Clearing Assisted Scattering Tomography (CAST), where intact brains can be imaged at optical resolution without labeling by leveraging tissue clearing and the scattering contrast of optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI).

Visualization of neuritic plaques in Alzheimer's disease by polarization-sensitive optical coherence microscopy

One major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is the deposition of extracellular senile plaques and vessel wall deposits composed of amyloid-beta (Aβ). In AD, degeneration of neurons is preceded by the formation of Aβ plaques, which show different morphological forms. Most of them are birefringent owing to the parallel arrangement of amyloid fibrils. Here, we present polarization sensitive optical coherence microscopy (PS-OCM) for imaging mature neuritic Aβ plaques based on their birefringent properties. Formalin-fixed, post-mortem brain samples of advanced stage AD patients were investigated. In several cortical brain regions, neuritic Aβ plaques were successfully visualized in tomographic and three-dimensional (3D) images. Cortical grey matter appeared polarization preserving, whereas neuritic plaques caused increased phase retardation. Consistent with the results from PS-OCM imaging, the 3D structure of senile Aβ plaques was computationally modelled for different illumination settings and plaque sizes. Furthermore, the birefringent properties of cortical and meningeal vessel walls in CAA were investigated in selected samples. Significantly increased birefringence was found in smaller vessels. Overall, these results provide evidence that PS-OCM is able to assess amyloidosis based on intrinsic birefringent properties.

Visualizing and mapping the cerebellum with serial optical coherence scanner

We present the visualization of the mouse cerebellum and adjacent brainstem using a serial optical coherence scanner, which integrates a vibratome slicer and polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography for ex vivo imaging. The scanner provides intrinsic optical contrasts to distinguish the cerebellar cortical layers and white matter. Images from serial scans reveal the large-scale anatomy in detail and map the nerve fiber pathways in the cerebellum and brainstem. By incorporating a water-immersion microscope objective, we also present high-resolution tiled images that delineate fine structures in the cerebellum and brainstem.

Validating Intravascular Imaging with Serial Optical Coherence Tomography and Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are characterized by the formation of a plaque in the arterial wall. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provides high-resolution images allowing delineation of atherosclerotic plaques. When combined with near infrared fluorescence (NIRF), the plaque can also be studied at a molecular level with a large variety of biomarkers. In this work, we present a system enabling automated volumetric histology imaging of excised aortas that can spatially correlate results with combined IVUS/NIRF imaging of lipid-rich atheroma in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Pullbacks in the rabbit aortas were performed with a dual modality IVUS/NIRF catheter developed by our group. Ex vivo three-dimensional (3D) histology was performed combining optical coherence tomography (OCT) and confocal fluorescence microscopy, providing high-resolution anatomical and molecular information, respectively, to validate in vivo findings. The microscope was combined with a serial slicer allowing for the imaging of the whole vessel automatically. Colocalization of in vivo and ex vivo results is demonstrated. Slices can then be recovered to be tested in conventional histology.

Tomographic brain imaging with nucleolar detail and automatic cell counting

Brain tissue evaluation is essential for gaining in-depth insight into its diseases and disorders. Imaging the human brain in three dimensions has always been a challenge on the cell level. In vivo methods lack spatial resolution, and optical microscopy has a limited penetration depth. Herein, we show that hard X-ray phase tomography can visualise a volume of up to 43 mm³ of human post mortem or biopsy brain samples, by demonstrating the method on the cerebellum. We automatically identified 5,000 Purkinje cells with an error of less than 5% at their layer and determined the local surface density to 165 cells per mm² on average. Moreover, we highlight that three-dimensional data allows for the segmentation of sub-cellular structures, including dendritic tree and Purkinje cell nucleoli, without dedicated staining. The method suggests that automatic cell feature quantification of human tissues is feasible in phase tomograms obtained with isotropic resolution in a label-free manner.

Quantifying three-dimensional optic axis using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

The optic axis of birefringent samples indicates the direction of optical anisotropy, which should be described in three-dimensional (3-D) space. We present a method to quantify the complete 3-D optic axis orientation calculated from in-plane optic axis measurements from a polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography system. The in-plane axis orientations with different illumination angles allow the calculation of the necessary polar angle. The method then provides the information to produce the actual birefringence. The method and results from a biological sample are presented.

Extending two-dimensional histology into the third dimension through conventional micro computed tomography

Histological examination achieves sub-micrometer resolution laterally. In the third dimension, however, resolution is limited to section thickness. In addition, histological sectioning and mounting sections on glass slides introduce tissue-dependent stress and strain. In contrast, state-of-the-art hard X-ray micro computed tomography (μCT) systems provide isotropic sub-micrometer resolution and avoid sectioning artefacts. The drawback of μCT in the absorption contrast mode for visualising physically soft tissue is a low attenuation difference between anatomical features. In this communication, we demonstrate that formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human cerebellum yields appropriate absorption contrast in laboratory-based μCT data, comparable to conventional histological sections. Purkinje cells, for example, are readily visible. In order to investigate the pros and cons of complementary approaches, two- and three-dimensional data were manually and automatically registered. The joint histogram of histology and the related μCT slice allows for a detailed discussion on how to integrate two-dimensional information from histology into a three-dimensional tomography dataset. This methodology is not only rewarding for the analysis of the human cerebellum, but it also has relevance for investigations of tissue biopsies and post-mortem applications. Our data indicate that laboratory-based μCT as a modality can fill the gap between synchrotron radiation-based μCT and histology for a variety of tissues. As the information from haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained sections and μCT data is related, one can colourise local X-ray absorption values according to the H&E stain. Hence, μCT data can correlate and virtually extend two-dimensional (2D) histology data into the third dimension.

Polarization sensitive optical coherence microscopy for brain imaging

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence microscopy (OCM) have demonstrated the ability to investigate cyto- and myelo-architecture in the brain. Polarization-sensitive OCT provides sensitivity to additional contrast mechanisms, specifically the birefringence of myelination and, therefore, is advantageous for investigating white matter fiber tracts. In this Letter, we developed a polarization-sensitive optical coherence microscope (PS-OCM) with a 3.5 μm axial and 1.3 μm transverse resolution to investigate fiber organization and orientation at a finer scale than previously demonstrated with PS-OCT. In a reconstructed mouse brain section, we showed that at the focal depths of 20-70 μm, the PS-OCM reliably identifies the neuronal fibers and quantifies the in-plane orientation.

Validation of In utero Tractography of Human Fetal Commissural and Internal Capsule Fibers with Histological Structure Tensor Analysis

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography offer the unique possibility to visualize the developing white matter macroanatomy of the human fetal brain in vivo and in utero and are currently under investigation for their potential use in the diagnosis of developmental pathologies of the human central nervous system. However, in order to establish in utero DTI as a clinical imaging tool, an independent comparison between macroscopic imaging and microscopic histology data in the same subject is needed. The present study aimed to cross-validate normal as well as abnormal in utero tractography results of commissural and internal capsule fibers in human fetal brains using postmortem histological structure tensor (ST) analysis. In utero tractography findings from two structurally unremarkable and five abnormal fetal brains were compared to the results of postmortem ST analysis applied to digitalized whole hemisphere sections of the same subjects. An approach to perform ST-based deterministic tractography in histological sections was implemented to overcome limitations in correlating in utero tractography to postmortem histology data. ST analysis and histology-based tractography of fetal brain sections enabled the direct assessment of the anisotropic organization and main fiber orientation of fetal telencephalic layers on a micro- and macroscopic scale, and validated in utero tractography results of corpus callosum and internal capsule fiber tracts. Cross-validation of abnormal in utero tractography results could be achieved in four subjects with agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) and in two cases with malformations of internal capsule fibers. In addition, potential limitations of current DTI-based in utero tractography could be demonstrated in several brain regions. Combining the three-dimensional nature of DTI-based in utero tractography with the microscopic resolution provided by histological ST analysis may ultimately facilitate a more complete morphologic characterization of axon guidance disorders at prenatal stages of human brain development.

Wide-field optical coherence microscopy of the mouse brain slice

The imaging capability of optical coherence microscopy (OCM) has great potential to be used in neuroscience research because it is able to visualize anatomic features of brain tissue without labeling or external contrast agents. However, the field of view of OCM is still narrow, which dilutes the strength of OCM and limits its application. In this study, we present fully automated wide-field OCM for mosaic imaging of sliced mouse brains. A total of 308 segmented OCM images were acquired, stitched, and reconstructed as an en-face brain image after intensive imaging processing. The overall imaging area was 11.2×7.0  mm (horizontal×vertical), and the corresponding pixel resolution was 1.2×1.2  μm. OCM images were compared to traditional histology stained with Nissl and Luxol fast blue (LFB). In particular, the orientation of the fibers was analyzed and quantified in wide-field OCM.

Quantitative single-mode fiber based PS-OCT with single input polarization state using Mueller matrix

We present a simple but effective method to quantitatively measure the birefringence of tissue by an all single-mode fiber (SMF) based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) with single input polarization state. We theoretically verify that our SMF based PS-OCT system can quantify the phase retardance and optic axis orientation after a simple calibration process using a quarter wave plate (QWP). Based on the proposed method, the quantification of the phase retardance and optic axis orientation of a Berek polarization compensator and biological tissues were demonstrated.

Structure tensor analysis of serial optical coherence scanner images for mapping fiber orientations and tractography in the brain

Quantitative investigations of fiber orientation and structural connectivity at microscopic resolution have led to great challenges for current neuroimaging techniques. Here, we present a structure tensor (ST) analysis of ex vivo rat brain images acquired by a multicontrast (MC) serial optical coherence scanner. The ST considers the gradients of images in local neighbors to generate a matrix whose eigen-decomposition can estimate the local features such as the edges, anisotropy, and orientation of tissue constituents. This computational analysis is applied on the conventional- and polarization-based contrasts of optical coherence tomography. The three-dimensional (3-D) fiber orientation maps are computed from the image stacks of sequential scans both at mesoresolution for a global view and at high-resolution for the details. The computational orientation maps demonstrate a good agreement with the optic axis orientation contrast which measures the in-plane fiber orientation. Moreover, tractography is implemented using the directional information extracted from the 3-D ST. The study provides a unique opportunity to leverage MC high-resolution information to map structural connectivity of the whole brain.

Cross-validation of serial optical coherence scanning and diffusion tensor imaging: a study on neural fiber maps in human medulla oblongata

We established a strategy to perform cross-validation of serial optical coherence scanner imaging (SOCS) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) on a postmortem human medulla. Following DTI, the sample was serially scanned by SOCS, which integrates a vibratome slicer and a multi-contrast optical coherence tomography rig for large-scale three-dimensional imaging at microscopic resolution. The DTI dataset was registered to the SOCS space. An average correlation coefficient of 0.9 was found between the co-registered fiber maps constructed by fractional anisotropy and retardance contrasts. Pixelwise comparison of fiber orientations demonstrated good agreement between the DTI and SOCS measures. Details of the comparison were studied in regions exhibiting a variety of fiber organizations. DTI estimated the preferential orientation of small fiber tracts; however, it didn't capture their complex patterns as SOCS did. In terms of resolution and imaging depth, SOCS and DTI complement each other, and open new avenues for cross-modality investigations of the brain.