Fiber Scanning Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) Endoscope

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Achieving maximal tumor removal with minimal collateral damage to healthy tissue is a challenge in tumor surgery, because there are no reliable visual cues to indicate completeness of resection. In contrast, on a microscopic level, the differences between tumor and non-infiltrated tissues are clear. However, traditional histopathologic techniques require that the tissue be removed from the operative field, processed, and stained. Therefore, histopathology can neither beperformed in situ nor in real-time. Suboptimal surgical results are extremely common in brain cancer surgery (64,000 US cases/year). Tumor that could have been safely removed has been identified in the operative cavity in 76% of cases, by post-operative MRI. In most cases, tumor recurrence occurs near the resection cavity. An in vivo technique for real-time imaging of the resection margins at the time of surgery would be highly desirable. Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) microscopy combines the advant