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Fernandes S, Williams E, Finlayson N, Stewart H, Dhaliwal C, Dorward DA, Wallace WA, Akram AR, Stone J, Dhaliwal K, Williams GOS. Fibre-based fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy: a real-time biopsy guidance tool for suspected lung cancer. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2024; 13:355-361. [PMID: 38496695 PMCID: PMC10938104 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-23-638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Early detection improves outcomes, however, existing sampling techniques are associated with suboptimal diagnostic yield and procedure-related complications. Autofluorescence-based fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), a technique which measures endogenous fluorophore decay rates, may aid identification of optimal biopsy sites in suspected lung cancer. Our fibre-based fluorescence-lifetime imaging system, utilising 488 nm excitation, which is deliverable via existing diagnostic platforms, enables real-time visualisation and lifetime analysis of distal alveolar lung structure. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of the fibre-based fluorescence-lifetime imaging system to detect changes in fluorescence lifetime in freshly resected ex vivo lung cancer and adjacent healthy tissue as a first step towards future translation. The study compares paired non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and non-cancerous tissues with gold standard diagnostic pathology to assess the performance of the technique. Paired NSCLC and non-cancerous lung tissues were obtained from thoracic resection patients (N=21). A clinically compatible 488 nm fluorescence-lifetime endomicroscopy platform was used to acquire simultaneous fluorescence intensity and lifetime images. Fluorescence lifetimes were calculated using a computationally-lightweight, rapid lifetime determination method. Fluorescence lifetime was significantly reduced in ex vivo lung cancer, compared with non-cancerous lung tissue [mean ± standard deviation (SD), 1.79±0.40 vs. 2.15±0.26 ns, P<0.0001], and fluorescence intensity images demonstrated distortion of alveolar elastin autofluorescence structure. Fibre-based fluorescence-lifetime imaging demonstrated good performance characteristics for distinguishing lung cancer, from adjacent non-cancerous tissue, with 81.0% sensitivity and 71.4% specificity. Our novel fibre-based fluorescence-lifetime imaging system, which enables label-free imaging and quantitative lifetime analysis, discriminates ex vivo lung cancer from adjacent healthy tissue. This minimally invasive technique has potential to be translated as a real-time biopsy guidance tool, capable of optimising diagnostic accuracy in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Fernandes
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, NHS Lothian, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Elvira Williams
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Neil Finlayson
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Hazel Stewart
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Catharine Dhaliwal
- Department of Pathology, NHS Lothian, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David A. Dorward
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Pathology, NHS Lothian, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - William A. Wallace
- Department of Pathology, NHS Lothian, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ahsan R. Akram
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, NHS Lothian, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - James Stone
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Photonics and Photonic Materials, Department of Physics, The University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Kevin Dhaliwal
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, NHS Lothian, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Gareth O. S. Williams
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Wang B, Zhang Q, Chen X, Luan H, Gu M. Perspective of fibre-optical microendoscopy with microlenses. J Microsc 2020; 288:87-94. [PMID: 33169362 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Fibre-optical microendoscopy is based on fibre-optical confocal scanning microscopy, where optical fibres are introduced for delivery of the source and collection of the signal. Fibre-optical microendoscopy has led to innovations in imaging of freely moving animals, long-term imaging, minimally invasive diagnostics, and microsurgery. The lens system in fibre-optical microendoscopy is significant because of the imaging resolution and miniaturisation possibility. State-of-the-art fibre-optical microendoscopy based on various types of lens systems is introduced and compared. The lens system contains an objective lens, a gradient index microlens, and other novel lens systems fabricated by electric arc discharge or two-photon lithography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baokai Wang
- Laboratory of Artificial-Intelligence Nanophotonics, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Qiming Zhang
- Centre for Artificial-Intelligence Nanophotonics, School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Centre for Artificial-Intelligence Nanophotonics, School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Haitao Luan
- Centre for Artificial-Intelligence Nanophotonics, School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Gu
- Laboratory of Artificial-Intelligence Nanophotonics, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Artificial-Intelligence Nanophotonics, School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
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Abstract
The world of gastroenterology changed forever when flexible endoscopes became available in the 1960s. Diagnostic and therapeutic techniques proliferated and entered the mainstream of medicine, not without some controversy. Success resulted in a huge service demand, with the need to train more endoscopists and to organise large endoscopy units and teams of staff. The British health service struggled with insufficient numbers of consultants, other staff and resources, and British endoscopy fell behind that of most other developed countries. This situation is now being addressed aggressively, with many local and national initiatives aimed at improving access and choice, and at promoting and documenting quality. Many more consultants are needed and some should be relieved of their internal medicine commitment to focus on their specialist skills. New instruments and procedures are stretching the diagnostic boundaries and changing the interface with sister disciplines like radiology, surgery and pathology. The old distinctions, particularly between gastroenterology and surgery, are increasingly irrelevant and unhelpful. The future is bright for gastroenterology and for endoscopy, but unpredictable. In this fast-changing world it will be essential to remain flexible, with our goals firmly focused on the best interests of our patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter B Cotton
- Digestive Disease Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29466, USA.
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