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

Abstract

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.