Quantitative Characterization of Undulation Patterns and Regional Features of the Oral Basement Membrane Zone Using Optical Coherence Tomography

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Alterations in the undulation pattern of the basement membrane zone (BMZ) reflect early pathological changes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides real-time, high-resolution, in vivo three-dimensional (3D) imaging of the oral mucosal microstructures, including BMZ. In this study, we quantified the undulation index of BMZ at four oral sites: the floor of the mouth, lower lip, buccal mucosa, and hard palate, and visualized their 3D morphological structures. Among regular participants, the mean undulation index varied across these sites: 14.64% ± 9.07% for floor, 8.74% ± 4.65% for lower lip, 9.45% ± 3.64% for buccal mucosa, and 14.84% ± 7.71% for hard palate. The corresponding epithelial thicknesses were 209.48 ± 87.51, 311.31 ± 106.85, 596.10 ± 138.40, and 444.83 ± 61.83 μm. It highlights the significance of BMZ morphology and epithelium thickness as potential diagnostic markers, offering a new approach for the early detection of OSCC.

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