Multimodal Imaging Device for Real-time Assessment of Airway Tissue Viability and Compliance after Inhalation Injury

Inhalation injury is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in both military personnel and the civilian population. Bronchoscopy, currently the gold standard for assessment of inhalation injury, fails to provide submucosal and functional tissue information, both of which are essential for improved prognostic information. Physical Sciences Inc., in collaboration with University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, proposes to develop a novel multimodal imaging instrument that will provide clinicians with real-time feedback regarding the morphological appearance of the injured tissue, as well as functional data such as compliance, ciliary activity, vasodilation and blood flow. This instrument will complement qualitative bronchoscopic findings and will permit more efficient screening, triage, and therapeutic guidance of inhalation exposures.The Phase I study will determine the feasibility of the proposed technology for epithelial airway inhalation injury assessment. In Phase II, an advanced, highly engineered and rugged instrument is proposed to be developed and evaluated on patients with inhalation injuries. A Phase III continuation program is planned as well with the goal of further improving this technology and making it suitable for use in role 2 military settings and for the civilian market, as well as for getting FDA approval for commercialization.