Dual-modality optical coherence tomography and fluorescence tethered capsule endomicroscopy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Gastroenterology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Optical coherence tomography tethered capsule endoscopy (OCT-TCE) is a noninvasive diagnostic tool for gastrointestinal disorders.
• Current OCT-TCE lacks molecular information, limiting diagnostic accuracy.
• Molecular contrast is crucial for enhancing diagnostic capabilities in GI tract imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an extended OCT-TCE system incorporating a fluorescence (FL) imaging channel.
• To achieve complementary, co-registered molecular contrast alongside morphological imaging.
• To improve diagnostic accuracy for gastrointestinal tract disorders through multimodal imaging.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel OCT-FL TCE capsule.
• Creation of a portable, plug-and-play OCT-FL imaging system.
• Validation using phantom experiments and a methylene blue-stained swine esophageal injury model (ex vivo and in vivo).

Main Results:

• Successful development of the OCT-FL TCE capsule and imaging system.
• Demonstrated feasibility in phantom studies.
• Validated in vivo and ex vivo in a swine esophageal injury model, showing combined morphological and molecular imaging capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The developed OCT-FL TCE offers a multimodal imaging approach for GI tract diagnostics.
• This technology integrates morphological and molecular contrast for enhanced diagnostic accuracy.
• The system shows promise for noninvasive, in-depth visualization of GI tissues.