Xiang Feng, Yu Jia, Jiang Danling, Hu Weiwang, Zhang Rongli, Huang Chenming, Wu Ting, Gao Yufeng, Zheng Aiping, Liu Tzu-Ming, Zheng Wei, Li Xi, Li Hui
Research Center for Biomedical Optics and Molecular Imaging, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Optical Imaging Technology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Health Informatics, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
Biomed Opt Express. 2023 Jul 14;14(8):4137-4155. doi: 10.1364/BOE.492109. eCollection 2023 Aug 1.
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) features atypical clinical manifestations and a low 5-year survival rate (< 5% in many developing countries where most of the disease occurs). Precise ESCC detection and grading toward timely and effective intervention are therefore crucial. In this study, we propose a multidimensional, slicing-free, and label-free histopathological evaluation method based on multispectral multiphoton fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (MM-FLIM) for precise ESCC identification. To assess the feasibility of this method, comparative imaging on fresh human biopsy specimens of different ESCC grades is performed. By constructing fluorescence spectrum- and lifetime-coded images, ESCC-induced morphological variations are unveiled. Further quantification of cell metabolism and stromal fibers reveals potential indicators for ESCC detection and grading. The specific identification of keratin pearls provides additional support for the early detection of ESCC. These findings demonstrate the viability of using MM-FLIM and the series of derived indicators for histopathological evaluation of ESCC. As there is an increasing interest in developing multiphoton endoscopes and multiphoton FLIM systems for clinical use, the proposed method would probably allow noninvasive, label-free, and multidimensional histological detection and grading of ESCC in the future.
食管鳞状细胞癌（ESCC）具有非典型临床表现，5年生存率低（在大多数该病高发的发展中国家，5年生存率<5%）。因此，对ESCC进行精确检测和分级以实现及时有效的干预至关重要。在本研究中，我们提出了一种基于多光谱多光子荧光寿命成像显微镜（MM-FLIM）的多维、无切片和无标记组织病理学评估方法，用于精确识别ESCC。为评估该方法的可行性，我们对不同ESCC分级的新鲜人体活检标本进行了对比成像。通过构建荧光光谱和寿命编码图像，揭示了ESCC引起的形态学变化。对细胞代谢和基质纤维的进一步量化揭示了ESCC检测和分级的潜在指标。角蛋白珠的特异性识别为ESCC的早期检测提供了额外支持。这些发现证明了使用MM-FLIM及一系列衍生指标对ESCC进行组织病理学评估的可行性。由于开发用于临床的多光子内窥镜和多光子FLIM系统的兴趣日益浓厚，所提出的方法可能在未来实现ESCC的无创、无标记和多维组织学检测及分级。
