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Confocal fluorescence high resolution imaging during standard endoscopic procedures has been presented as a very
promising tool to enhance patient care and physician practice by providing supplementary diagnostic information in
real-time. The purpose of this paper is to show not only potential, but convincing results of endoscopic microscopy using
a catheter-based approach.
Mauna Kea Technologies' core technology, Cellvizio, delivers dynamic imaging at 12 frames/second using confocal
miniprobes inserted through the operating channel of regular endoscopes. Cellvizio is composed of 3 parts including
(a) a Laser Scanning Unit, (b) Confocal MiniprobeTM with the following characteristics: 5-15 &mgr;m axial resolution, 2-5
&mgr;m lateral resolution, 15-100 &mgr;m depth of penetration, field of view of 600x500 &mgr;m and (c) a software package with onthe-
fly processing capabilities.
With several tens of patients examined during routine GI endoscopy procedures, the most relevant clinical parameters
could be assessed in a doubled-blinded fashion between the endoscopist and a pathologist and results showing very high
accuracy in the differentiation of neoplasia from normal and hyperplastic tissue were obtained.
In the field of pulmonology, the micro-autofluorescence properties of tissues could be assessed and structures never before
accessed in vivo were observed. Cellvizio® may be useful to study bronchial remodeling in asthma and chronic obstructive
pulmonary diseases. Using appropriate topical fluorescent dye, the Confocal Miniprobes may also make it possible
to perform optical biopsy of precancerous and superficial bronchial cancers.
Cellvizio® is as a new tool towards "targeted biopsies", leading to earlier, more reliable and cost effective diagnostic
procedures. Other applications, specifically in molecular imaging are also made possible by the miniaturization of the
probe (combination with biopsy needle for solid organs use or lymph node detection) and by the compatibility of the
system with other imaging modalities (auto-fluorescence and narrow-band imaging endoscopy, MRI, PET, etc).
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