Biopsy Guidance of Lung Cancer Using a Novel Electromagnetic and Optical Coherence Tomography Platform
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths, and early diagnosis of lung cancer is critical to patient survival. Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is an imaging technique that can detect potentially cancerous lung abnormalities and has made significant strides in increasing early detection of lung cancer. This imaging method, however, does not have the ability to determine whether a specific abnormality is cancerous. Clinicians must conduct additional tests, including collecting samples, or biopsies, from the suspicious area. Currently available methods for biopsy collection come with different challenges. Lower-risk procedures may have trouble specifically targeting small lesions and may not collect enough tissue to give a definitive diagnosis, while more invasive surgical methods may be better at targeting the lesions but also carry a higher risk of complications for the patient. These challenges, combined with high false positive rates of LDCT screening (i.e., LDCT finding a lung abnormality that is not cancerous), highlight a great need to improve the diagnostic accuracy of lower-risk biopsy procedures. The objective of this proposal is to develop and test a steerable biopsy guidance and diagnosis tool that is compatible with existing techniques while providing higher-resolution images. This imaging system will allow clinicians to steer a catheter into a target lesion and take high-resolution microscopy images of the lesion to ensure diagnostic quality tissue is obtained. This proposal will address the following Lung Cancer Research Program Areas of Emphasis: (1) identify innovative strategies for the screening and early detection of lung cancer and (2) identify innovative strategies for the treatment of lung cancer. This biopsy guidance tool will significantly improve the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer. Patients who test positive during LDCT screening would be able to undergo a low-risk bronchoscopy procedure to determine whether a lesion is cancerous, rather than a more invasive and higher-risk surgical procedure or delaying diagnosis by waiting and monitoring the tumor for growth. The ability to guide a catheter to the small lesions to collect biopsy samples also opens the possibility for delivering treatments to those lesions within the same procedure, thereby reducing the number of procedures necessary for each patient. The Suter laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital has extensive experience designing and developing imaging tools. It is anticipated that designing and testing this biopsy guidance system in a preclinical animal model could be completed within 2 years. Once preclinical safety and feasibility studies are complete, the system could be tested in human clinical studies. This study will develop new tools for the early detection and diagnosis of lung cancer. It will improve clinicians’ ability to visualize and target lesions while the lesions are small and treatment can be more successful. Military personnel may have a higher risk of lung cancer, due to environmental exposures they encounter during service. As LDCT screening becomes more widespread, among both military personnel and the public, it is critical that clinicians have the tools to be able to follow up on positive LDCT results while minimizing the risk to the patients.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 05, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2110506
Entities
People
- Melissa Suter
Organizations
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- United States Army