A more accurate way to identify pre-cancerous cells in the lining of the oesophagus is being developed by biomedical engineers at Duke University and has already been successfully tested on patients during a clinical trial.
The device promises to offer a less invasive method for testing patients suspected of having Barrett’s oesophagus – a change in the lining of the oesophagus due to acid reflux. The device consists of an endoscope, to reach the oesophagus via the nose. Short bursts of light are then aimed at locations of suspected disease and sensors capture and analyse the light as it is reflected back. The nuclei of pre-cancerous cells are larger than typical cell nuclei, and the light scatters back from them in a characteristic manner. UNC gastroenterologist Nicholas Shaheen, MD, conducted the preliminary clinical trial of the device on 46 patients with Barrett’s oesophagus. He said: “Currently, we take many random tissue samples from areas where we think abnormal cells may be located. This new system may make our biopsies smarter and more targeted.” The technology is known as angle-resolved low coherence interferometry (a/LCI) and it is able to separate the unique patterns of the nucleus from the other parts of the cell and provide representations of its changes in shape in real time. A clinical trial of the system is planned and there could be a commercially available device by 2012.
