In vitro imaging of thyroid tissues using two-photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation
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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

An Ex vivo Culture System to Study Thyroid Development
Published on: June 6, 2014
Zufang Huang1, Zuanfang Li, Rong Chen
1Key Laboratory of OptoElectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, P. R. China.
Objective:
To evaluate the feasibility of two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging to discriminate the normal, nodular goiter and papillary cancerous thyroid tissue.
Materials And Methods:
In total, 45 fresh thyroid specimens (normal, 15; nodular goiter, 12; and papillary cancerous, 18) from 31 subjects were directly imaged by the TPEF and SHG combination method.
Results:
The microstructure of follicle and collagen structure in thyroid tissue were clearly identified, morphologic changes between normal, nodular goiter, and papillary cancerous thyroid tissue were well characterized by using two-photon excitation fluorescence. SHG imaging of the collagen matrix also revealed the differences between normal and abnormal.
Conclusions:
Our preliminary study suggests that the TPEF and SHG combination method might be a useful tool in revealing pathologic changes in thyroid tissue.

