Multi-modality opticalimaging in tissues using ultrafast lasers

癌症在北美所有死因中排名第二。如果在侵袭前阶段发现，其生存率可显著提高。光学成像提供了一种非侵入性的方法来观察和检测癌前病变和癌性病变。多光子显微镜（MPM）和光学相干层析成像（OCT）是两种前沿成像技术。MPM检测细胞和细胞外基质具有亚微米分辨率和分子特异性。OCT提供毫米级组织解剖结构的横断断层图像。我们建议开发一个多模态光学成像系统，将MPM和OCT集成在一个平台上。MPM对细胞和细胞外基质的敏感性，以及OCT对界面的敏感性，可以在新生血管、细胞迁移和细胞外基质重塑的发展过程中，对细胞-细胞和细胞-基质相互作用进行新的观察。这些事件对几乎所有的生物过程都至关重要，从癌症到伤口愈合、衰老和糖尿病。结合两者的优势，MPM/OCT将为检测癌前病变和癌性病变提供一种兼具敏感性和特异性的新型成像工具。

Cancer ranks second among all causes of death in North America. If detected in the pre-invasive stage, its survival rate can be significantly increased. Optical imaging provides a noninvasive way to visualize and detect precancerous and cancerous lesions. Multiphoton Microscopy (MPM) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are two cutting-edge imaging techniques. MPM detects cells and extracellular matrix with sub-micron resolution and molecular specificity. OCT provides cross-sectional tomographic images showing anatomic structures of tissues on a millimeter scale. We propose to develop a multi-modality optical imaging system, integrating MPM and OCT on a single platform. The sensitivity of MPM to cells and extracellular matrix, and that of OCT to interfaces can enable new observations of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions during the development of neovasculature, cell migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling. These events are fundamentally important to nearly all biological processes, from cancer to wound healing, aging, and diabetes. With benefits from both sides, MPM/OCT will provide a new imaging tool that has both sensitivity and specificity to detect precancerous and cancerous lesions.