Airway diseases are a major concern around the world. However, the pace of new drug and biomarker discovery has lagged behind those of other common disorders such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. One major barrier in airway research has been the inability to accurately visualize large or small airway remodelling or dysplastic/neoplastic (either pre or early cancerous) changes using non‐ or minimally invasive instruments.

The advent of optical coherence tomography (OCT) has the potential to revolutionize airway research and management by allowing investigators and clinicians to visualize the airway with resolution approaching histology and without exposing patients to harmful effects of ionizing radiation. Thus, with the aid of OCT, we may be able to accurately determine a...