Optical probe for in situ assessment of pulmonary fibrosis

项目摘要/摘要 物理科学公司(PSI)与马萨诸塞州病理学系合作 综合医院(MGH)以及MGH和Beth以色列的肺部和危重护理医学部 莱希健康(BILH)建议开发和评估一种评估肺纤维化的新技术， 这是一种呼吸系统疾病，会导致严重的呼吸问题。本病由积聚而成 肺内过多的纤维结缔组织(这个过程称为纤维化)，导致肺组织增厚 导致细支气管壁受损，从而导致血液中氧气供应减少。因此，患者 患有永久性的气短。肺纤维化通常是在正规的医生办公室诊断的。 就诊时，用听诊器听诊，并经X光和CT扫描确认。然而，由于 误诊很常见，最终要进行活检以确认诊断结果。不幸的是，大块的 需要组织来评估纤维化的存在。因此，电视胸腔镜下楔形活检 (VATS)用于此目的。这种手术有多种副作用，包括炎症、组织 发病率和严重出血。此外，由于它需要组织处理和病理解释， 这一过程变得昂贵，而结果也不能立即得到。 PSI提出的常规VATS楔形切除的替代方法是研究组织形态 通过使用微创针式智能光学探头， 消除了移除任何组织的需要。此外，在活组织检查期间，结果立即可用。 这项技术将首先在第一阶段进行测试， 博莱霉素性肺纤维化 建立大鼠模型以确定 其诊断可靠的有效性。根据第一阶段的调查结果，这项技术将在 第二阶段及其疗效将在MGH和BILH的人类患者身上进一步测试。成功开发 建议的PSI技术的演示将以更低的成本实现可靠的改进诊断，同时 消除与常规活检相关的副作用。

Project Summary/Abstract Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), in collaboration with the Department of Pathology at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Divisions of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at MGH and Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH), proposes to develop and evaluate a novel technology for assessing pulmonary fibrosis, which is a respiratory disease leading to serious breathing problems. This disease consists of the accumulation of excess fibrous connective tissue within the lungs (this process is called fibrosis), leading to thickening of the walls of the bronchioles, and thus causes reduced oxygen supply in the blood. As a consequence patients suffer from perpetual shortness of breath. Pulmonary fibrosis is usually diagnosed during regular doctor office visits, by listening with the stethoscope, and confirmed with X-rays and CT scanning. However, since misdiagnosis is common, biopsy is ultimately performed to confirm findings. Unfortunately, large pieces of tissue are needed to evaluate the presence of fibrosis. Therefore, video assisted thoracoscopic wedge biopsy (VATS) is used for this purpose. This procedure has multiple side effects, including inflammation, tissue morbidity, and severe bleeding. Furthermore, since it requires tissue processing and pathologic interpretation, the procedure becomes expensive, while the results are not immediately available. PSI's proposed alternative approach to regular VATS wedge resections is to investigate tissue morphology and mechanical properties in situ by using a minimally invasive needle-type smart optical probe, which eliminates the need to remove any tissue. Furthermore, the results are immediately available during biopsy. This technology will be first tested In Phase I in a Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis rat model to determine its efficacy for reliable diagnosis. Based on Phase I findings, the technology will be further improved during Phase II and its efficacy will be further tested in human patients at MGH and BILH. Successful development and demonstration of the proposed PSI technology will enable reliable improved diagnosis at lower costs while eliminating side effects associated to the regular biopsy.