Single wavelength micro‐endoscopy in non‐surgical vascular lesion diagnosis & characterization

Abstract

SummaryMalignant and dysplastic epithelial lesions have often been reported to excite vascular responses by histopathological characterization. Little is reported concerning in vivo real-time imaging of vascular patterns and flow in health or disease but the development of miniature imaging instrumentation has now allowed such developments.We describe the application of a selective wavelength (540 nm) epi-illumination Hopkins pattern endoscopic imaging system to image vascular tissues and capillary blood flow in vivo. The contrast mechanism in such imaging was characterized, haemoglobin acting as a chromatic transmission filter despite endoscopy being a non-invasive and therefore principally reflection mode imaging system. In vivo adrenergic vascular responses, capillary flow rate variations over time and variations in normal capillary architecture around the oral cavity were recorded; demonstrating that simple imaging systems can be used for non-surgical diagnosis and characterization of vascular lesions, tumours and treatment responses.

Fluorescence lifetime endoscopy using TCSPC for the measurement of FRET in live cells

“…There is a huge clinical pressure to develop high resolution, in situ opto-diagnostic micro-endoscopic technologies with the potential to provide immediate tissue characterization and diagnostic information. This will allow more extensive tissue sampling with little or no consequential tissue morbidity and in clinical practice more timely implementation of appropriate therapies [3]. The ability to survey field change regions and monitor suspicious, pre-malignant and post-therapeutic fields for characteristic molecular or intracellular changes indicative of malignant disease or recurrence over time without multiple biopsies, would offer huge clinical benefits to diagnosis, accuracy of local tissue assessment and monitoring of life threatening diseases throughout the body [4].…”

In Vivo Capillary Loop Hemoglobin Spectroscopy in Labial, Sublingual, and Periodontal Tissues

“…These cellular membrane light interactions have the potential for greater reflection from cell surfaces which degrades the image and obscures the absorbed transmitted light. In practice the increased surface reflection with blue light is DOI: 10.1111/micc.12218 Original Article ª 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd more than compensated for by the greater absorption and contrast at the shorter wavelengths [6,19,32].…”