Optical needle endoscope for safe and precise stereotactically guided biopsy sampling in neurosurgery

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Medical Imaging
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Accurate histological diagnosis of deep-seated brain tumors is crucial for effective treatment.
• Stereotactic biopsy sampling, while common, risks inaccurate targeting and vascular damage.
• Current methods lack real-time visualization of tumor margins and critical structures during biopsy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a minimally invasive contact endoscopic probe for enhanced stereotactic brain biopsy.
• To enable simultaneous fluorescence detection of tumorous tissue and intracerebral blood vessels.
• To improve the safety and precision of deep-seated brain tumor biopsies.

Main Methods:

• A contact endoscopic probe with an outer diameter <1.5 mm was designed for insertion into standard biopsy needles.
• The probe utilizes optical design for simultaneous detection of tissue autofluorescence and selective fluorescence signals.
• In vivo animal models and a clinical pilot trial were used to demonstrate the probe's capabilities.

Main Results:

• The probe successfully visualized tissue autofluorescence and selective fluorescence signals from tumors and vasculature.
• Demonstrated tumor detection capability during stereotactic needle insertion in a clinical pilot trial.
• The technology showed potential for real-time guidance during stereotactic interventions.

Conclusions:

• The developed contact endoscopic probe offers a safer and more precise approach to stereotactic brain biopsies.
• Real-time fluorescence detection aids in identifying tumorous tissue and avoiding vascular damage.
• This technology has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for patients with deep-seated brain tumors and other applications.