public projects

ASPIRAT

Neuropathological analysis of intraoperatively obtained, fragmented tumor tissue using aspirate histology.

An ultrasonic aspirator is used in 30 – 40 % of all operations to resect tumors on the central nervous system (CNS). This fragments the tissue and continuously aspirates the resulting tissue fragments with the addition of an irrigation solution. These tumor tissue fragments accumulate as “waste product” aspirate. Neither preoperatively nor intraoperatively is it possible to determine beyond doubt what type of tumor is involved and where the boundaries between healthy and diseased CNS tissue lie. However, this intraoperative determination is evident for the determination of the intraoperative extent of resection.

In addition, the final neuropathological diagnosis requires an average of 8-12 days of examination. An intraoperative neuropathological frozen section diagnosis also takes 20 – 40 minutes. These procedures are logistically, time- and personnel-intensive and cost-intensive. The aim of the presented project is to use the tissue fragments (waste product generated by the ultrasound aspirator) directly for neuropathological histology and to reflect back whether one is already in tumor-free CNS areas. For this purpose, the aspirate is to be examined using multiphoton microscopy (MPM) in flow-through (imaging flow histology) during tissue aspiration. This is done using Spectro-temporal Laser Imaging by Diffractive Excitation (SLIDE), a particularly fast form of MPM, supported by AI.

This is of direct benefit to patients, as a faster diagnosis means that personalized/individualized therapy can begin much earlier. The earlier start of treatment combined with an optimized extent of resection has a direct impact on the survival time and quality of life of those affected and their relatives. This not only applies to patients with CNS tumors, but can also be transferred to other patient populations with tumor diseases (liver, prostate, kidney, etc.).

The results of the research work will flow directly into the construction and clinical evaluation of a demonstrator with flow cytometry for coupling to the ultrasound aspirator for clinical use.

 

The project is a cooperation with the Institute of Biomedical Optics, University of Lübeck, the Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck and the Institute of Neuropathology at the University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf.

Collected aspirate from an ultrasonic dissection in the sample trap (left) and in the Petri dish including rinsing fluid (top right). Tissue aspirate cleaned of rinsing fluid (bottom right).

 

Fast SLIDE microscopy (b) will be used for 3D histology of tissue fragments (a) and for imaging flow histology (c). In this imaging flow histology, the tissue aspirate is to be microscopically imaged in flow channels using SLIDE imaging. The digital images created in this way will be computer-assisted (d) using innovative algorithms and artificial intelligence in order to prepare a pathological diagnosis.

 

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