Open AccessOptical needle endoscope for safe and precise stereotactically guided biopsy sampling in neurosurgery
Author(s) -
Werner Göbel,
David Brucker,
Yvonne Kienast,
Ann Johansson,
Gesa Kniebühler,
Adrian Rühm,
Sabina Eigenbrod,
Stefan Fischer,
Marcus Goetz,
Friedrich-Wilhelm Kreth,
André Ehrhardt,
Herbert Stepp,
Klaus-Martin Irion,
Jochen Herms
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.20.026117
Subject(s) - sampling (signal processing) , endoscope , stereotactic biopsy , biopsy , autofluorescence , neuronavigation , neurosurgery , medicine , biomedical engineering , radiology , pathology , magnetic resonance imaging , optics , fluorescence , physics , detector
Proper treatment of deep seated brain tumors requires correct histological diagnosis which unambiguously necessitates biopsy sampling. Stereotactically guided sampling of biopsies is widely used but bears the danger of incorrect sampling locations and damage to intracerebral blood vessels. Here, we present a minimally invasive contact endoscopic probe that can be inserted into the tissue inside a standard biopsy needle and allows for fluorescence detection of both tumorous tissue and intracerebral blood vessels. Outer diameter of our contact probe is smaller than 1.5 mm, field-of-view in the range of several hundred microns; the optical design allows for simultaneous detection and visualization of tissue autofluorescence and selective fluorescence signals from deep seated brain tumors and vasculature as shown on in vivo animal models. We demonstrate the tumor detection capability during stereotactic needle insertion in a clinical pilot trial. Using our probe, we expect stereotactic interventions to become safer and more precise and the technology might ultimately be used also for various other kinds of applications.