SMART-Endomicroscopy (Sensing and Mechatronically Assisted Real-Time Endomicroscopy)

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As surgical techniques become more minimally invasive, there is an inevitable increase in complexity of the operating platforms. Clinically, it is of vital importance to integrate real-time microscopic visualisation into the surgical workflow in a seamless way and in combination with the existing imaging modalities such as MRI, CT and ultrasound. The aim of this proposal is to develop a new SMART-endomicroscopic probe that integrates in situ sensing and mechatronic control to allow for flexible and consistent tissue characterisation for Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS). It addresses specific research and engineering challenges related to biophotonics, mechanical/optical miniaturisation and integration, super-resolution image reconstruction, as well as tracking, localisation and large area coverage for in vivo, in situ tissue characterisation. Through multi-scale minimally invasive imaging integration, the proposed SMART-Endomicroscope will potentially allow cancer staging and intervention to be performed as a single procedure, permitting histological and vascular examination to be performed at all stages of the operation, such that management decisions can be altered intra-operatively to ensure best treatment for the individual patient. This will help to transform surgical treatment options and patient cancer outcomes as personalised healthcare becomes a reality. The project echoes the current paradigm shift in MIS towards miniaturised smart instruments with integrated imaging and sensing, enhanced by robotic control. It is supported by a multidisciplinary team with complementary skills in physics, engineering, medical image computing and surgery.