Dynamic Evaluation of Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer Using Multimodal US-OCT-NIRF System

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology

Background:

• Colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) presents diagnostic challenges, often difficult to differentiate from inflammation using current imaging.
• Early detection of CAC is crucial for improving patient prognosis and treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel multimodal endoscopic imaging system integrating OCT, US, and NIRF for enhanced CAC detection.
• To assess the system's capability in visualizing both vascular and morphological changes associated with CAC progression.

Main Methods:

• Integration of OCT, US, and NIRF imaging with BSA-ICG nanocomplexes for enhanced visualization.
• Utilizing NIRF for capillary network visualization and OCT/US for morphological assessment.
• Application in a CAC mouse model to monitor disease progression from inflammation to tumor formation.

Main Results:

• The system successfully identified early morphological and vascular alterations in CAC, including capillary network changes and tissue thickening.
• High-resolution fluorescence imaging visualized colonic capillaries, while OCT and US provided insights into inflammation-to-malignancy progression.
• Demonstrated ability to monitor dynamic changes during CAC development in vivo.

Conclusions:

• The multimodal imaging system holds significant potential for early and accurate in vivo detection of CAC.
• Simultaneous visualization of vascular and morphological changes aids in understanding carcinogenesis and disease progression.
• This technique may improve diagnostic accuracy, guide therapeutic interventions, and enhance patient management for CAC.