Abstract

Apoptosis is the effector of regulated cell death and plays a role in many physiologic and pathologic processes. In a previous study we demonstrated qualitatively that the scattering of the tissue, as observed by optical Coherence Tomography, is increased. In this study, we quantified the change in scattering in balloon dilatted ex vivo porcine arteries and in cell cultures after chemical induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, in the cell culture, necrosis was observed as an decrease in attenuation. These results indicate that the apoptotic process may be detected using OCT due to an increase in scattering by the typical disintegration of cellular material and can be differentiated from the necotic process.

© 2005 Optical Society of America