title: Confocal microlaparoscope for imaging the fallopian tube.
abstract: Recent evidence suggests that ovarian cancer can originate in the fallopian tube. Unlike many other cancers, poor access to the ovary and fallopian tubes has limited the ability to study the progression of this deadly disease and to diagnosis it during the early stage when it is most amenable to therapy. A rigid confocal microlaparoscope system designed to image the epithelial surface of the ovary in vivo was previously reported. A new confocal microlaparoscope with an articulating distal tip has been developed to enable in vivo access to human fallopian tubes. The new microlaparoscope is compatible with 5-mm trocars and includes a 2.2-mm-diameter articulating distal tip consisting of a bare fiber bundle and an automated dye delivery system for fluorescence confocal imaging. This small articulating device should enable the confocal microlaparoscope to image early stage ovarian cancer arising inside the fallopian tube. Ex vivo images of animal tissue and human fallopian tube using the new articulating device are presented along with in vivo imaging results using the rigid confocal microlaparoscope system.
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, 1630 East University Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United StatesbUniversity of Arizona, Department of Medical Imaging, PO Box 245067, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United States.
authors.forename: Tzu-Yu
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, 1630 East University Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United StatesbUniversity of Arizona, Department of Medical Imaging, PO Box 245067, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United StatescUniversity of Arizona Cancer.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Rouse
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona Cancer Center, PO Box 245024, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United StatesdUniversity of Arizona, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PO Box 245078, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United States.
authors.forename: Setsuko K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona Cancer Center, PO Box 245024, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United StatesdUniversity of Arizona, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PO Box 245078, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United States.
authors.forename: Kenneth D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, 1630 East University Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United StatesbUniversity of Arizona, Department of Medical Imaging, PO Box 245067, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United StatescUniversity of Arizona Cancer.
authors.forename: Arthur F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Gmitro
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020706:Laparoscopes; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D055100:Optical Fibers