Development of a search system using parathyroid autofluorescence

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18306
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Takahashi Takeshi 新潟大学, 医歯学総合病院, 助教 (90849481)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 副甲状腺 / 甲状腺手術 / 頭頸部外科 / 近赤外線自家蛍光

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The parathyroid glands are required to be preserved in thyroid surgery, but since they are small (5 mm in size) and difficult to detect and confirm by visual examination alone, near-infrared autofluorescence was used in thyroid surgery. Since there was a lack of definitive scientific data that the tissue with autofluorescence was the parathyroid gland, we confirmed the fluorescent material by microscopic examination and determined whether it was the parathyroid gland or not. The results confirmed that tissues with clear autofluorescence were sufficiently accurate to be parathyroid glands and useful for detection and confirmation. Furthermore, we confirmed that the number of parathyroid glands that could be detected using autofluorescence increased, and the results were published in an international journal as an English-language article.

Free Research Field

頭頸部外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

副甲状腺は人体で最も小さい5mm程度の内分泌臓器であり、肉眼で発見することはとても難しい臓器です。
今回検証を行った近赤外線自家蛍光を用いて、甲状腺手術を行った場合、術後副甲状腺機能低下症という生涯薬剤が必要な合併症を回避する可能性が高まることが期待できます。また、副甲状腺に病気を認める場合、手術で摘出する際の目印になることから、手術成功率の工場が見込まれます。