Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to provide information about cochlear microanatomy at a cellular level, specifically of cochlear hair cells in mammals. A total of 10 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 2 experimental groups for comparing the arrangement of normal and damaged hair cells. Postnatal day 3 Sprague-Dawley rats were used to test the swept-source OCT system, and the images recorded were compared with fluorescence microscope images. Intracochlear structures (the inner hair cells, outer hair cells, and auditory nerve fibers) were clearly visualized at the individual cellular level. These images reflect the ability of OCT to provide images of the inner hair cells, outer hair cells, and auditory nerve fibers (ex vivo). OCT is a promising technology, and these findings could be used to encourage research in the area of cochlear microstructure imaging in the future.
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