Multimodal Endoscopic Probe for Inner Ear Hearing Loss Diagnosis and Therapy Guidance

项目摘要/摘要 感音神经性听力损失(SNHL)是严重发病率的一个来源，在个别病例中是不可逆的。 大多数SNHL病例与耳蜗毛细胞的损伤或丢失有关。SNHL的诊断是 主要基于听力测试，因为内耳不能在不引起严重损害的情况下进行活组织检查 听力损失。当代成像技术(计算机断层扫描(CT)和磁共振 成像(MRI))提供了外周和中枢听觉通路的宏观一瞥，但不能 在细胞水平上解决内耳的详细解剖问题。快速发展的毛细胞领域 再生有望改变我们使用小分子或基因疗法改善SNHL的能力 方法，但由于不能直接成像毛细胞病理而受阻。 物理科学公司(PSI)与马萨诸塞州伊顿·皮博迪实验室合作 眼耳医院(MEEI)建议开发一种多模式内窥镜成像系统，该系统将 光学相干层析成像(OCT)和自动荧光成像(AFI)同时获取 耳蜗的解剖和生化改变，可用于诊断SNHL。在一次 在第一阶段计划中，PSI开发了台式OCT/AFI仪器，并证明了其可行性 用这种方法可靠地显示小鼠耳壳内的解剖结构和生化功能 SNHL模型。在第二阶段计划中，我们建议开发一种内窥镜OCT/AFI仪器， 改进的性能，适合在体内用于SNHL的大型动物模型。如果成功，这将是 技术将是我们诊断SNHL和指导未来靶向治疗能力的重要一步 用于内耳再生。此外，这项技术将在手术计划中发挥不可估量的作用 人工耳蜗术中的听力保护方法。

Project Summary/Abstract Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a source of significant morbidity and in isolated cases is irreversible. Most cases of SNHL are associated with damage or loss of cochlear hair cells. The diagnosis of SNHL is based primarily on audiometric testing as the inner ear cannot be “biopsied” without causing profound hearing loss. Contemporary imaging techniques (computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) provide a macroscopic glimpse of peripheral and central auditory pathways but cannot resolve detailed anatomy of the inner ear, at the cellular level. The rapidly growing field of hair cell regeneration is poised to transform our ability to improve SNHL using small molecule or gene therapy approaches but is hampered by the inability to directly image hair cell pathology. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), in collaboration with the Eaton Peabody Laboratories at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) proposes to develop a multimodal endoscopic imaging system that combines optical coherence tomography (OCT) and auto-fluorescence imaging (AFI) to simultaneously acquire anatomical and biochemical changes of the cochlea, which can be used to diagnose SNHL. During a Phase I program, PSI has developed a bench-top OCT/AFI instrument and has demonstrated the feasibility of this approach to reliably visualize intracochlear anatomy and biochemical functionality in a mouse animal model of SNHL. In a Phase II program we propose to develop an endoscopic OCT/AFI instrument with improved performance, suitable for in vivo use in a large animal model of SNHL. If successful, this technology will be a major step forward in our ability to diagnose SNHL and guide future targeted therapies for inner ear regeneration. Furthermore, this technology will be invaluable in surgical planning during hearing preservation approaches for cochlear implantation.