Real-Time Optical Biopsy in Improving Lung Cancer Diagnosis in Patients Undergoing Lung Biopsy

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Show that it is possible to distinguish lung cancer from benign lesions in ex vivo tissue samples using optical microscopy.

II. Test a proof-of-concept endoscopic instrument for imaging through a biopsy needle under computed tomography (CT) guidance on ex vivo tissue samples.

OUTLINE:

Patients undergo extraction of up to 3 additional lung biopsies from target lesions that are at least 2-3 cm in diameter using the 19 gauge SuperCore biopsy needle or the 20 gauge Rotax needle. The extracted tissue is imaged via confocal fluorescence microscopy using a variety of fluorescent contrast agents, such as, fluorescein sodium, methylene blue, or indocyanine green and then undergo hematoxylin and eosin processing.

Inclusion criteria

• Participants will be drawn from the pool of patients who have suspicious lesions identified on CT and who are already scheduled for a lung biopsy procedure with Dr. Woodhead or one of his colleagues
• Patients will be asked to consent to 2 to 3 extra biopsy samples to be used for this research project

Exclusion criteria

• Excluded from this study will be minors below age 18, prisoners, pregnant women, patients with a contraindication for additional lung biopsies, and patients who cannot give informed consent (language barrier, cognitive impairment, etc.)