title: Prospective grading of neoplastic change in rat esophagus epithelium using angle-resolved low-coherence interferometry.
abstract: Angle-resolved low-coherence interferometry (a/LCI) is used to obtain quantitative, depth-resolved nuclear morphology measurements. We compare the average diameter and texture of cell nuclei in rat esophagus epithelial tissue to grading criteria established in a previous a/LCI study to prospectively grade neoplastic progression. We exploit the depth resolution of a/LCI to exclusively examine the basal layer of the epithelium, approximately 50 to 100 microm beneath the tissue surface, without the need for exogenous contrast agents, tissue sectioning, or fixation. The results of two studies are presented that compare the performance of two a/LCI modalities. Overall, the combined studies show 91% sensitivity and 97% specificity for detecting dysplasia, using histopathology as the standard. In addition, the studies enable the effects of dietary chemopreventive agents, difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and curcumin, to be assessed by observing modulation in the incidence of neoplastic change. We demonstrate that a/LCI is highly effective for monitoring neoplastic change and can be applied to assessing the efficacy of chemopreventive agents in the rat esophagus.
authors.affiliation: Duke University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA. a.wax@duke.edu
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wax
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Pyhtila
authors.forename: Robert N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nines
authors.forename: Charles W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.forename: Ramachandra R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Dasari
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Feld
authors.forename: Vernon E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Stoner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology*; D007368:Interferometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*