MICROHOLOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS OF CERVICAL NEOPLASIA

THIS RESEARCH WILL DEVELOP A MICROHOLOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA (CIN). THE DESIGN OF THE INSTRUMENT WILL ALLOW FOR THE RECORDING OF THE FEMALE GENITAL TRACT, IN PARTICULAR THE CERVIX, WHICH CAN BE SUBSEQUENTLY EXAMINED UNDER A MICROSCOPE WITH RESOLUTION COMPARABLE TO THAT OBTAINED IN PATHOLOGICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS. THE METHOD UTILIZES CONTACT HOLOGRAPHIC RECORDING OF STAINED TISSUE. THE MAJOR ADVANTAGES OF THE TECHNIQUE OVER SIMILAR TECHNIQUES IN MICROHYSTEROSCOPY AND MICROCOLPOSCOPY ARE A DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN PHYSICIAN AND PATIENT TIME (THE RECORDING REQUIRES A FRACTION OF A SECOND), AND THE AVAILABILITY OF A PERMANENT RECORD TO BE EXAMINED MICROSCOPICALLY. A SINGLE HOLOGRAPHIC RECORD IS ADEQUATE TO RENDER DETAILS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND SIZE OF CELLS. THE DESIGN OF THE INSTRUMENT WILL INCLUDE A DISPOSABLE FILM CARTRIDGE AND A SMALL PORTABLE SOURCE FOR LASER-LIGHT ILLUMINATION. THE INSTRUMENT WILL BE DESIGNED IN A MANNER AND SHAPE THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH CURRENT INSTRUMENTATION IN COLPOSCOPY. DURING PHASE I, THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE DESIGN WILL BE DEMONSTRATED AND THE ADEQUACY OF THE HOLOGRAPHIC RECORD IN THE MICROSCOPIC EVALUATION OF TISSUE WILL BE ESTABLISHED.