Visualization of fiber structure and calcification of porcine and human aortic valve and pericardium tissue via optical coherence tomography

Research output: Contribution to book/Conference proceedings/Anthology/ReportConference contributionContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Claudia Dittfeld - , Department of Cardiac Surgery (at Dresden Heart Centre), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Malgorzata Kopycinska-Müller - , Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (Author)
  • Jonas Golde - , Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology (Author)
  • Luise Schreiber - , Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (Author)
  • Anett Jannasch - , Department of Cardiac Surgery (at Dresden Heart Centre), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Ralf Schallert - , Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (Author)
  • Frank Sonntag - , Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology (Author)
  • Jörg Opitz - , Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (Author)
  • Sems Malte Tugtekin - , Department of Cardiac Surgery (at Dresden Heart Centre), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)

Abstract

Calcific aortic valve disease, the most treated heart valve pathology, is characterized by leaflet fibrosis and calcification. Diseased aortic valves (AV) are replaced by bio-prostheses fabricated from glutaraldehyde-fixed xenogeneic pericardium. Material degeneration and tissue calcification of these prostheses result in a limited durability of 10-15 years and, thus, the need of surgical reintervention. To improve both treatment of native aortic valve disease and prostheses durability, non-invasive monitoring of tissue remodeling and calcification via optical coherence tomography (OCT) is envisioned for the characterization of in vitro model systems. Application of OCT technology is planned for the investigation of in vivo models in AV research up to a clinical application. Extra cellular matrix (ECM) structure of AV and pericardium tissue could be visualized as well as a diffuse microcalcification in human pathological AV tissue. A nondirectional fiber orientation was verified in porcine pericardium and AVs. The three-layered AV structure can be imaged by the means of different optical densities identified by OCT. Microcalcification was correlated to subsequent histology of fibrotic tissue. Large calcification nodules of human AV tissue exhibit inhomogeneous OCT intensities. In summary, OCT facilitates not only the non-invasive definition and quantification of fibrotic matrix remodeling but also the detection of tissue calcification in pericardium or AV tissues. The presented preliminary dataset reveals the applicability of OCT for visualization of aortic valve or pericardium tissue remodeling and calcification and allows to point out tasks for development of OCT monitoring and quantitative analysis adopted for tissue culture in a microphysiological system.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationDiagnostic and Therapeutic Applications of Light in Cardiology 2025
EditorsGijs van Soest, Irina V. Larina, Christos Bourantas
PublisherSPIE - The international society for optics and photonics
ISBN (electronic)9781510683389
Publication statusPublished - 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

Publication series

SeriesProgress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE
Volume13295
ISSN1605-7422

Conference

TitleDiagnostic and Therapeutic Applications of Light in Cardiology 2025
Duration25 - 27 January 2025
LocationThe Moscone Center
CitySan Francisco
CountryUnited States of America

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-8160-3000/work/190134465
ORCID /0000-0002-8047-2774/work/190134678

Keywords

Keywords

  • biological aortic valve prosthesis, calcific aortic valve disease, calcification, extra cellular matrix, optical coherence tomography, pericardium