Measuring Collagen Injury Depth for Burn Severity Determination Using Polarization Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography

The study introduced methods for accurately determining burn wound severity by measuring the depth of injury to the dermal collagen matrix using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT). Traditional methods relied on visual assessment, which often led to errors, especially in classifying partial thickness burns. The PS-OCT technique allowed for direct and volumetric assessment of collagen status by analyzing the degree of polarization of light in the tissue. Additionally, the method included visualization of adnexal structures like hair follicles to assess overall dermal viability. The approach was validated ex vivo with matched histology, providing a precise tool for evaluating burn severity and healing potential in both research and clinical applications.