Doppler optical coherence tomography as a promising tool for detecting fluid in the human middle ear

The treatment of otitis media requires classifying the effusion in the tympanic cavity for choosing appropriate therapeutic strategies. Otoscopic examination of the middle ear depends on the expertise of the physician and is often hampered in case of inflammatory alterations of the tympanic membrane. In otologic research, optical coherence tomography is an innovative non-invasive imaging technique utilized for visualizing the tympanic membrane. This ex vivo study presents the possibility of OCT and Doppler-OCT for the detection of effusions in the tympanic cavity. Structural OCT imaging allows the direct visualization of scattering fluids behind the tympanic membrane. In addition, the measurement of the reduced oscillation amplitude by means of Doppler-OCT permits the indirect detection of scattering and transparent fluids