Latest advancements on endoscopic procedures were presented during the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) 243rd National Meeting and Exposition. Each year, America witnesses over 15 M endoscope procedures on patients.
New endoscope technology paves the way for molecular guided surgery for cancer
The researchers recently reported that a new version of flexible instruments has emerged that can enable the complete removal of cancerous tumors. This technological report represents an endoscopic procedure that integrates the phenomenon where a peculiar blue glow is generated in the nuclear reactors’ cooling water.
Led by Zhen Cheng, Ph.D., the latest approach expands the use of endoscope-based molecular-guided surgery to remove a cancerous tumor more efficiently.
The new imaging technology called Cerenkov Luminescence Endoscopy (CLE) is capable of analyzing tissue function and proves more beneficial than traditional endoscopic and imaging techniques such as MRI.
According to Cheng, the CLE is based on the same phenomenon that generates the soft blue radiance in the cooling water at the surface of nuclear power reactors. This is caused by interactions which occur when the nuclear reaction’s invisible particles is faster than the water’s speed of light. The glow was named after a Russian scientist.
With the emergence of Cerenkov Luminescence Imaging (CLI), the nuclear power reactors were less involved. With the ability to generate images of organs, CLI can assist surgeries conducted on laboratory animals to remove the insignificant, residual cancer cells. Moreover, CLI can also enhance the resolution of PET scans. Cerenkov luminescence can be observed through simple optical sensors, and also complies with a range of nuclear imaging agents and commercially available optical imaging instruments. However, it has weak penetration capability, which limits its usage in human application.
Cheng added that in another few years, the laboratory-based CLE will find a place in the operating room, as it resembles traditional endoscopy.