Use of topical methylene blue to image nuclear morphometry with a low-cost scanning darkfield microendoscope

Huayu Hou; Jennifer Carns; Richard A. Schwarz; Ann M. Gillenwater; Sharmila Anandasabapathy; Rebecca R. Richards-Kortum

doi:10.1117/1.JBO.29.5.050501

21 May 2024 Use of topical methylene blue to image nuclear morphometry with a low-cost scanning darkfield microendoscope

Huayu Hou, Jennifer Carns, Richard A. Schwarz, Ann M. Gillenwater, Sharmila Anandasabapathy, Rebecca R. Richards-Kortum

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Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol. 29, Issue 5, 050501 (May 2024). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.29.5.050501

Abstract

Significance

Fiber-optic microendoscopy is a promising approach to noninvasively visualize epithelial nuclear morphometry for early cancer and precancer detection. However, the broader clinical application of this approach is limited by a lack of topical contrast agents available for in vivo use.

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability to image nuclear morphometry in vivo with a novel fiber-optic microendoscope used together with topical application of methylene blue (MB), a dye with FDA approval for use in chromoendoscopy in the gastrointestinal tract.

Approach

The low-cost, high-resolution microendoscope implements scanning darkfield imaging without complex optomechanical components by leveraging programmable illumination and the rolling shutter of the image sensor. We validate the integration of our system and MB staining for visualizing epithelial cell nuclei by performing ex vivo imaging on fresh animal specimens and in vivo imaging on healthy volunteers.

Results

The results indicate that scanning darkfield imaging significantly reduces specular reflection and resolves epithelial nuclei with enhanced image contrast and spatial resolution compared to non-scanning widefield imaging. The image quality of darkfield images with MB staining is comparable to that of fluorescence images with proflavine staining.

Conclusions

Our approach enables real-time microscopic evaluation of nuclear patterns and has the potential to be a powerful noninvasive tool for early cancer detection.

CC BY: © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.

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Huayu Hou, Jennifer Carns, Richard A. Schwarz, Ann M. Gillenwater, Sharmila Anandasabapathy, and Rebecca R. Richards-Kortum "Use of topical methylene blue to image nuclear morphometry with a low-cost scanning darkfield microendoscope," Journal of Biomedical Optics 29(5), 050501 (21 May 2024). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.29.5.050501

Received: 15 February 2024; Accepted: 9 May 2024; Published: 21 May 2024

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KEYWORDS

Imaging systems

Fluorescence imaging

Image quality

In vivo imaging

Light sources and illumination

Tissues

Cancer detection

Significance

Aim

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Conclusions

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