White light colonoscopy is the current gold standard for early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer, but emerging data\nsuggest that this approach is inherently limited. Even the most experienced colonoscopists, under optimal conditions, miss at least\n15ââ?¬â??25% of adenomas. There is an unmet clinical need for an adjunctive modality to white light colonoscopy with improved lesion\ndetection and characterization. Optical molecular imaging with exogenously administered organic fluorochromes is a burgeoning\nimaging modality poised to advance the capabilities of colonoscopy. In this proof-of-principle clinical trial, we investigated the\nability of a custom-designed fluorescent colonoscope and indocyanine green, a clinically approved fluorescent blood pool imaging\nagent, to visualize polyps in high risk patients with polyposis syndromes or known distal colonic masses. We demonstrate (1) the\nsuccessful performance of real-time, wide-field fluorescence endoscopy using off-the-shelf equipment, (2) the ability of this system\nto identify polyps as small as 1 mm, and (3) the potential for fluorescence imaging signal intensity to differentiate between neoplastic\nand benign polyps.
Loading....