pCLE can identify lung carcinoma in ex vivo samples. Certain light microscopy features of lung carcinoma can be visualized with pCLE.

Background:The diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is based on computed tomography, histology, and antibodies to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. The role of a novel technique for imaging cells and elastin during endoscopy, probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE), has not yet been investigated in PAP patients. The aim of the present study was to estimate the value of pCLE in the PAP diagnosis and treatment in comparison with the findings of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) before and after whole-lung lavage.Methods:In vivo pCLE was performed during bronchoscopy in 6 male patients with PAP before and after whole-lung lavage. In certain lung segments, pCLE was followed by HRCT.Results:During the in vivo pCLE, we found characteristic signs of PAP: a fluorescent floating amorphous substance in the alveoli lumen sticking to conglomerates along with alveolar macrophages. These features were present to a lesser extent after a whole-lung lavage. pCLE revealed specific PAP features not only in segments with crazy-paving and ground-glass opacity, but also in segments without HRCT findings.Conclusions:The alveolar imaging in PAP patients is able to reveal characteristic changes, both in the presence and in the absence of HRCT findings. Therefore, pCLE may be a helpful tool for the diagnosis and whole-lung lavage therapy. Our data prove that accumulation of lipoproteinaceous substances within the alveoli at PAP is a diffuse but not a patchy process.

The traditional surgical pathology assessment requires tissue to be removed from the patient, then processed, sectioned, stained, and interpreted by a pathologist using a light microscope. Today, an array of alternate optical imaging technologies allow tissue to be viewed at high resolution, in real time, without the need for processing, fixation, freezing, or staining. Optical imaging can be done in living patients without tissue removal, termed in vivo microscopy, or also in freshly excised tissue, termed ex vivo microscopy. Both in vivo and ex vivo microscopy have tremendous potential for clinical impact in a wide variety of applications. However, in order for these technologies to enter mainstream clinical care, an expert will be required to assess and interpret the imaging data. The optical images generated from these imaging techniques are often similar to the light microscopic images that pathologists already have expertise in interpreting. Other clinical specialists do not have this same expertise in microscopy, therefore, pathologists are a logical choice to step into the developing role of microscopic imaging expert. Here, we review the emerging technologies of in vivo and ex vivo microscopy in terms of the technical aspects and potential clinical applications. We also discuss why pathologists are essential to the successful clinical adoption of such technologies and the educational resources available to help them step into this emerging role.