Abstract
We report results to verify a theoretical framework to analyze the 3D depth-wise structural organization of collagen fibers in articular cartilage using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. Apparent birefringence data obtained from multi-angle measurements using a time domain polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography system has been compared with simulated data based on the extended Jones matrix calculus. Experimental data has been shown to agree with the lamellar model previously proposed for the cartilage microstructure based on scanning electron microscopy data. This tool could have potential application in mapping the collagen structural orientation information of cartilage non-invasively during arthroscopy.
Highlights
Traditional techniques like arthroscopy, clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiography and polarized light microscopy as diagnostic tools to study the onset and development of osteoarthritis have not been completely successful and each has its own drawbacks [1,2,3]
Collagen fibers in articular cartilage tissues are organized in a complex 3D structural organization
To the best of our knowledge, this is for the first time a comparative study based on experimental and theoretical data of microstructure of articular cartilage has been reported in order to explain the PS-Optical coherence tomography (OCT) data obtained
Summary
Traditional techniques like arthroscopy, clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiography and polarized light microscopy as diagnostic tools to study the onset and development of osteoarthritis have not been completely successful and each has its own drawbacks [1,2,3]. A detailed study of the birefringence information obtained from light beam incident on the sample at multiple angles of incidence provides a more complete picture of the 3D orientation of the collagen fiber fast axis This has been first shown by Ugryumova et al, for a single layered model of collagen fibers in tendon tissues [7]. The EJMC describes light propagation through layered birefringent media with an arbitrary 3-D orientation of the optic axis in each layer by extending the conventional 2 × 2 Jones calculus to the case of off axis light transmission, accounting for the Fresnel transmission coefficients at the initial interface [8,9] This provides a framework for studying layered polarized light propagation in articular cartilage, which possesses a complex 3D orientation of collagen fibers. To the best of our knowledge, this is for the first time a comparative study based on experimental and theoretical data of microstructure of articular cartilage has been reported in order to explain the PS-OCT data obtained
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