Wide-Field Mueller Polarimetry of Brain Tissue Sections for Visualization of White Matter Fiber Tracts

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that wide-field Mueller polarimetry can effectively visualize brain white matter fiber tracts in thick tissue sections, correlating well with histology and showing potential for intra-operative use.

Contribution

The paper introduces a custom-built Mueller polarimeter for wide-field imaging of brain tissue, providing label-free, real-time visualization of white matter tracts during neurosurgery.

Findings

Strong correlation with histology in fixed human brain tissue

Consistent depolarization and retardance trends in calf brain tissue

Potential for intra-operative white matter visualization

Abstract

Identification of white matter fiber tracts of the brain is crucial for delineating the tumor border during neurosurgery. A custom-built Mueller polarimeter was used in reflection configuration for the wide-field imaging of thick section of fixed human brain and fresh calf brain. The experimental images of azimuth of the fast optical axis of linear birefringent medium showed a strong correlation with the silver-stained sample histology image, which is the gold standard for ex-vivo brain fiber tract visualization. The polarimetric images of fresh calf brain tissue demonstrated the same trends in depolarization, scalar retardance and azimuth of the fast optical axis as seen in fixed human brain tissue. Thus, label-free imaging Mueller polarimetry shows promise as an efficient intra-operative modality for the visualization of healthy brain white matter fiber tracts, which could improve the accuracy of tumor border detection and, ultimately, patient outcomes.