Development of Optical Coherence Tomography Equipment for the Evaluation of Pediatric Airway Stenosis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12712
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 90140:Medical technology assessment-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Bitoh Yuko 神戸大学, 医学部附属病院, 特命教授 (60719003)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大片 祐一 神戸大学, 医学研究科, 特命准教授 (40597217) ; 冨岡 雄一郎 神戸大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (70836428)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 小児気道狭窄性疾患 / 光干渉断層撮影

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pediatric airway stenosis is a condition with an unclear pathophysiology, necessitating the establishment of objective and accurate diagnostic methods. We considered that Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) technology would be useful for diagnosing and assessing the severity of this condition. However, no OCT devices suitable for airway application exist in Japan. Initially, we aimed to develop a new airway-specific OCT device and negotiated with multiple companies, but no collaborative research was achieved. Therefore, we shifted our approach to applying existing coronary artery OCT devices for this purpose. We conducted non-clinical trials using rabbits to evaluate the utility and safety of this device in examining pediatric airway stenosis. We found that the OCT images of the affected areas matched the pathological findings.

Free Research Field

小児気道狭窄性疾患の診断治療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

こどもの気道狭窄は窒息を来す重症な病気であるが原因や病態を正確に評価する方法が確立していない。この研究では光干渉断層撮影（OCT）技術に着目し、OCTプローベをこどもの気道に挿入して病変部のOCT画像を得ることが有用と考えた。冠動脈用OCTプローベを用いた気道の検査が安全かつ有効かどうか調べるため、ラビットを用いた動物実験を行い、病変部のOCT画像と病理組織所見が合致していることが確認できた。