BME.07 – Advancements in Prostate Tissue Analysis: A Fluorescence Imaging Device with Improved Filter Flexibility

• Owais Abuhashish
• Viet Ha
• Kashyap Mehta
• Nisarg Patel
• Sasha Yufa

Current methods for prostate cancer detection faces challenge. Traditional methods, like histopathological examination post-prostatectomy can damage tissues. Fluorescence microscopy methods, such as Confocal and Two-Photon, offer detailed imaging but are limited by high costs, complex preparation, and restricted imaging depth. The VELscope, a handheld device utilizing autofluorescence to highlight cellular abnormalities, specifically in oral cancer detection, is constrained by its non-adjustable set filter and LED wavelengths, detecting only a limited spectrum of fluorophores. This limitation, alongside its inability to provide repeatable and consistent results due to its handheld design, reduces its efficacy for prostate tissue analysis. Our device is a fluorescence imaging device specifically designed for prostatectomy slices, utilizing tissue autofluorescence to facilitate visualization without external staining. Unlike the VELscope, our portable and cost-effective device introduces the capability to switch out both excitation and emission wavelengths. This key feature allows for the exploration of a wide spectrum of endogenous fluorophores, significantly broadening its application beyond the capabilities of the VELscope. Additionally, the design incorporates a fixed adjustment mechanism for the imaging component and filter system, ensuring stable, repeatable results that overcome the inconsistencies often seen with handheld devices. An ambient light blocking feature further increases the accuracy and reliability of imaging, marking a notable advancement in the field of prostate tissue analysis. A critical performance benchmark for our fluorescence imaging device was to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) comparable to that of the VELscope, with statistical significance set at p<0.05, ensuring that imaging quality and fluorescence detection capabilities match those of established devices. Testing conducted on chicken tissue samples revealed that our device exhibited a lower (inferior) SNR value compared to the VELscope, with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.01), indicating a disparity in imaging quality under these conditions. However, in tests conducted on ham tissue samples, the SNR of our device showed no significant difference from that of the VELscope (p = 0.10), suggesting that under certain conditions, our device can match the established benchmark in imaging performance. The lower SNR observed in some tests is likely due to the broad bandwidth of our emission filter. Plans are underway to refine our device by incorporating a narrower bandwidth emission filter, and switching to a white bulb with an excitation filter rather than a blue LED. These improvements aim to enhance imaging precision and expand fluorophore detection capabilities, addressing the identified limitations and further optimizing the device's performance for broader application in prostate tumor detection.