Optical Biopsy in Head and Neck tumors using micro-endoscope

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15727
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation
• Principal Investigator: Funabiki Kazuo 公益財団法人先端医療振興財団, その他部局等, 研究員(上席・主任研究員クラス) (00301234)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NAITO Yasushi 公益財団法人先端医療振興財団, その他の部局, 研究員 (70217628) ; SHINOHARA Shogo 公益財団法人先端医療振興財団, その他の部局, 研究員 (80263078)
• Research Collaborator: NAKANO Michiyuki ; KATAOKA Yosky
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 光学生検 / 顕微内視鏡 / in vivo / Optical biopsy

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We designed a fiber-bundle based confocal micro-endoscope which can be used for real time optical biopsy (Goto et al, PNAS 2015) and evaluated its usefulness in head and neck tumor cases, especially, squamous cell carcinomas. Dissected specimen were first evaluated about its auto-fluorescence spectral profile with 473nm or 561nm laser excitation, and then fluorescence labeled by drop application of 0.03-0.1ug/ml acriflavine to visualize the nuclei and underwent optical observation by the micro-endoscope. Auto-fluorescence spectral analysis revealed that the auto-fluorescence (500-550nm) of cancer tissue against 473nm excitation was lower than that of corresponding normal tissue. Although, some training seems required for judgement, there existed a clear difference between tumor tissue and normal pharyngeal mucosa in the uniformity of nuclear size and shape, indicating its promising efficacy in the real-time histological evaluation of head and neck tumors.

Free Research Field

脳計測科学