High Resolution Imaging Endoscopic Probe

描述(由申请人提供)：本提案针对癌症前期条件、癌症筛查、诊断和进展的微创高分辨率成像技术的需求。目前，射线照相、磁共振成像、计算机断层扫描和超声波等成像手段可以对人体内的大规模结构进行无创研究，分辨率从100微米到1毫米不等。然而，对于许多疾病过程，如早期发现浅表性食道癌、膀胱癌或结肠癌，需要更高的分辨率才能直观地显示准确诊断所需的核特征。物理科学公司(PSI)提议开发一种新的成像技术，能够在体内以视频速率提供亚微米级分辨率的图像。这项名为内窥镜全场光学相干显微镜(EFFOCM)的新技术利用远端带有小型化物镜的光纤束进行高分辨率微创成像。光学相干选通用于获得较高的轴向分辨率，而相对低倍物镜用于实现微米级的横向分辨率。EFFOCM图像中的每个像素都是并行获取的，因此不需要在探头内进行光束扫描。此外，空间非相干光被用来形成EFFOCM图像，从而消除了斑点噪声。EFFOCM的这些功能使活体人体组织的内窥镜成像具有足够的分辨率来可视化细胞亚结构，从而使内窥镜光学活检更接近实现。在第一阶段，将开发一个带有小直径柔性探头的台式系统，并将对组织样本进行测量，以展示该系统以高分辨率筛选上皮层的能力。该项目的第二阶段将侧重于临床便携系统的开发。在第二阶段，将在马萨诸塞州综合医院对患者进行试点临床研究，以证明该仪器在癌症早期检测和分期方面的有效性。这项研究与公共卫生的相关性：拟议的研究可以显著改善癌症筛查和监测，使其能够在可治疗和潜在治愈的早期阶段被发现。很明显，早期诊断可以改善预后、减少发病率和降低疾病死亡率。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal addresses the need for a minimally invasive high resolution imaging technology for cancer pre-conditions, cancer screening, diagnosis, and progression. Currently, imaging modalities such as radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and ultrasound allow non-invasive investigation of large-scale structures in the human body with resolutions ranging from 100 um to 1 mm. However, for many disease processes, such as the early detection of superficial esophageal, bladder, or colon cancer, higher resolution is desired in order to visualize the nuclear features required for accurate diagnosis. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to develop a novel imaging technology capable of providing submicron scale resolution images in vivo at video rate. This new technology, termed endoscopic full-field optical coherence microscopy (EFFOCM) utilizes a fiber bundle with a miniaturized objective at the distal end to perform high resolution minimally invasive imaging. Optical coherence gating is used to achieve high axial resolution and a relatively low power objective lens to enable micron-level transverse resolution. Every pixel in an EFFOCM image is obtained in parallel, eliminating the need for beam scanning within the probe. Additionally, spatially incoherent light is used to form the EFFOCM image, thereby eliminating speckle noise. These features of EFFOCM enable endoscopic imaging of human tissue in vivo a resolution sufficient to visualize cellular substructure, consequently bringing endoscopic optical biopsy closer to realization. In Phase I, a benchtop system with a small diameter flexible probe will be developed and measurements on tissue specimens will be conducted to demonstrate the capability of the system to screen epithelial layers at a high resolution. Phase II of the project will focus on the development of a clinical portable system. In Phase II, a pilot clinical study on patients will be performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital to prove the effectiveness of the instrument in early cancer detection and staging. Relevance of this research to public health: The proposed research could substantially improve cancer screening and surveillance, allowing for detection at an early stage when it is treatable and potentially curable. It is evident that earlier diagnosis results in an improved outcome, decreased morbidity and reduced mortality from disease.