Project 3: Multispectral Imaging and Robotic Bronchoscopy Devices for Precision Lung Tumor Detection

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Project 3: Multispectral Imaging and Robotic Bronchoscopy Devices for Precision Lung Tumor Detection Project Summary One of the most significant advances in surgery has been the development of minimally invasive devices and technologies for endoscopic, laparoscopic, and robotic assisted surgical and diagnostic procedures. In comparison with conventional or “open” surgery, a major problem in minimally invasive surgery is however that the surgeon loses his or her sensory/tactile feedback and cannot visualize the full field of surgical view. This problem arises because the incisions are often so small, that surgeons cannot use their hands/fingers to directly inspect or search for tumor nodules and lesions. Thus, there are still major technical challenges and unmet clinical needs in developing miniaturized devices for surgical navigation and guidance under minimally invasive conditions, especially for robotic in-body manipulation and navigation, and for real-time capturing of both anatomical and molecular information. To address these challenges, we have assembled an academic and industrial team of senior investigators with interdisciplinary expertise in optoelectronic imaging chip design, miniaturized instrumentation, software engineering, and medical robotics. The overall goal is to integrate multispectral sensors, flexible robotic manipulation, and clinically applicable targeted tracers for image-guided biopsy and surgery of undiagnosed lung nodules and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Specifically, we will develop a multispectral imaging sensor comprised of vertically stacked photodetectors with pixelated multispectral filters, with low readout noise (less than one electron) and individually controlled exposure for both color RGB (red-green-blue) and near-infrared (NIR) pixels in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) architecture. We will also develop hologram wearable goggle devices for providing three-dimensional (3D) visualization and augmented reality display during surgery. The hologram-based goggles will provide an augmented or mixed-reality display during surgical settings because the surgeons can observe the patient with their natural eyesight while viewing a 3-D hologram display of cancer tissue locations acquired by the bio-inspired multispectral imaging sensor. Furthermore, through an academic-industrial partnership, we will collaborate with Johnson and Johnson to develop and incorporate near- infrared molecular imaging into a robot-enabled flexible bronchoscope to locate malignant deposits in lung lesions and lymph nodes. In summary, the overall rationale and strategies are to improve the sensitivity and specificity of intraoperative tumor imaging during minimally invasive procedures by combining tumor targeted near-infrared molecular tracers with bio-inspired multispectral imaging devices and three-dimensional (3-D) holographic displays. The proposed work is expected to yield cutting-edge molecular imaging systems for surgical navigation and guidance under minimally invasive conditions, as well as the first in-human demonstration of Johnson & Johnson's flexible robotic bronchoscope with molecular fluorescence guidance and 3D hologram augmented reality visualization.