Pulmonary fluorescence imaging

In this work a combined fluorescence lifetime and surface topographical imaging system is demonstrated. Based around a 126 × 192 time resolved single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) array operating in time correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) mode, both the fluorescence lifetime and time of flight (ToF) can be calculated on a pixel by pixel basis. Initial tests on fluorescent samples show it is able to provide 4 mm resolution in distance and 0.4 ns resolution in lifetime. This combined modality has potential biomedical applications such as surgical guidance, endoscopy, and diagnostic imaging...

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative molecular imaging (IMI) uses a fluorescent probe to identify occult cancers. VGT-309 is a quenched activity-based probe that is activated in the presence of cathepsins, enzymes overexpressed in cancer cells, and detected by near-infrared (NIR) light. This study aims to evaluate the sensitivity and the positive predictive value (PPV) of robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) with intraoperative molecular imaging (RIMI) using VGT-309 to localize tumors using NIR light to detect areas with increased cathepsin activity...

Metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS) to the brain is rare, and metastatic pleomorphic liposarcoma (PLPS) to the brain is even rarer. We present the case of a 76-year-old male with an incidental finding of a brain mass on a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) following a head injury. Additionally, multiple pulmonary nodules and a right gluteal mass were discovered. A core biopsy of the right gluteal mass revealed an epithelioid malignant neoplasm expressing transcription factor enhancer 3 (TFE3) by immunohistochemistry (IHC)...

BACKGROUND: Small interfering RNA (siRNA) holds great promise for treating various lung diseases, but the lack of safe and efficient pulmonary siRNA delivery systems has hindered its advance into the clinics. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which promotes cell proliferation, and the programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) which plays a crucial role in suppressing cytotoxic T cells activity, are two important targets for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we explored the potential of PEG12 -KL4, a synthetic peptide, to deliver siRNA to various NSCLC cells and to lung tissues in mice...

Aging usually causes lung-function decline and susceptibility to chronic lung diseases, such as pulmonary fibrosis. However, how aging affects the lung-fibrosis pathways and leads to the occurrence of pulmonary fibrosis is not completely understood. Here, mass spectrometry-based proteomics was used to chart the lung proteome of young and old mice. Micro computed tomography imaging, RNA immunoprecipitation, dual-fluorescence mRFP-GFP-LC3 adenovirus monitoring, transmission electron microscopy, and other experiments were performed to explore the screened differentially expressed proteins related to abnormal ferroptosis, autophagy, mitochondria, and mechanical force in vivo , in vitro , and in healthy people...

BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted surgery (RAS) systems have been developed but rarely applied to lung nodule localization. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and safety of using a robot-assisted navigation system in percutaneous lung nodule localization. METHODS: A computed tomography (CT)-guided robot-assisted navigation system was used to localize the simulated peripheral nodule in the swine lung through fluorescent agent injection. After the localization, fluorescent thoracoscopic wedge resection was performed...

BACKGROUND: The respiratory system is intensely damaged by acute lung injury (ALI). The anti-inflammatory effects of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) against ALI have been confirmed, but it exhibits a short half-life. miR-194-5p could directly target Rac1, but the internalization rate of miRNA cells was low. PURPOSE: To explore the potential of the soft mesoporous organic silica nanoplatform (NPs) as carriers for delivery of TMP and miR-194-5p through the tail vein. METHODS: NPs@TMP and NPs@PEI@miR-194-5p were added to the HUVEC cell-lines, in vitro, to observe the cell uptake and cytotoxic effects...

BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) promotes tumor cell release and explored a method for reducing these effects. METHODS: A green fluorescent protein-transfected orthotopic HCC model was established in 99 nude mice. In vivo flow cytometry was used to monitor circulating tumor cell (CTC) dynamics. Pulmonary fluorescence imaging and pathology were performed to investigate lung metastases. First, the kinetics of CTCs during the periablation period and the survival rate of CTCs released during RFA were investigated...

Amiodarone is widely used to treat cardiac arrhythmias and is very effective in preventing these disorders. However, its use is limited by a wide range of adverse effects, mainly affecting the lungs, and ranging from mild shortness of breath to pulmonary fibrosis. Amiodarone has been shown to accumulate strongly in lung tissue, exceeding its plasma concentration by a hundredfold. However, the site of accumulation and the mechanisms of transport are not fully understood. In this study, we used live cell imaging of primary rat alveolar type II cells to show that amiodarone specifically accumulates in large amounts in lamellar bodies, the surfactant storage organelles...

Minimally invasive surgery is increasingly indicated in the management of malignant disease. Although oesophagectomy is a difficult operation, with a long learning curve, there is actually a shift towards the laparoscopic/thoracoscopic/ robotic approach, due to the advantages of visualization, surgeon comfort (robotic surgery) and the possibility of the whole team to see the operation as well as and the operating surgeon. Although currently there are still many controversial topics, about the surgical treatment of patients with gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) adenocarcinoma, such as the type of open or minimally invasive surgical approach, the type of oesophago-gastric resection, the type of lymph node dissection and others, the minimally invasive approach has proven to be a way to reduce postoperative complications of resection, especially by decreasing pulmonary complications...

Preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) facilitates accurate identification of aberrant systemic arteries in thoracic surgery for pulmonary sequestration (PS). Furthermore, the boundary between normal and sequestrated lungs can be visualized using the spread of fluorescent indocyanine green (ICG) when performing surgery for PS. This study aimed to determine how to completely visualize anatomical variations, safely treat aberrant arteries, remove only sequestrated lungs, and perform minimally invasive surgery for PS...

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a commonly used procedure for treating congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) in infants, particularly when performing segmentectomy for segmental lesions. An innovative technique employing near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging with intravenous indocyanine green (ICG) has been utilized to delineate the intersegmental demarcation during surgery. However, no previous reports have investigated this method's application specifically in infants...

Recent studies challenge the dogma that a 21-mer phosphopeptide P140 protects against direct cell damage in the phase-III clinical trial (NCT02504645) for lupus, involving reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent release of citrullinated histone H3 (H3cit)-linked neutrophil extracellular traps. An open question is the cellular location of ROS production and H3cit formation in lupus. In this study, we examined the effects of P140 peptides on ROS production and H3cit location in lupus with in vivo and situ fluorescence imaging with subcellular resolution...

Successful treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) depends on early diagnosis and careful monitoring of treatment response. Identification of acid-fast bacilli by fluorescence microscopy of sputum smears is a common tool for both tasks. Microscopy-based analysis of the intracellular lipid content and dimensions of individual Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) cells also describe phenotypic changes which may improve our biological understanding of antibiotic therapy for TB. However, fluorescence microscopy is a challenging, time-consuming and subjective procedure...

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is an abnormal communication between pulmonary vasculatures and has an unclear boundary with surrounding lung tissues. At present, surgeons can only determine its location by preoperative imaging and intraoperative palpation, despite its soft texture. Indocyanine green(ICG), a near-infrared fluorophore, has been demonstrated useful in the accurate identification of vascular tissue. Therefore, we explored its application in PAVM cases...

BACKGROUND: The localization of pulmonary nodules prior to thoracoscopic surgery remains challenging for thoracic surgeons, especially for those nodules that are not visible or palpable on the lung surface. Our study is a simple and effective minimally invasive method using indocyanine green through a special pathway to locate pulmonary nodules and fluorescence thoracoscopic surgery. METHODS: Thoracoscopic surgery was performed for 18 undiagnosed peripheral non-solid nodules no larger than 2 cm after location...

Acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a critical respiratory syndrome with limited effective interventions. Lung macrophages play a critical role in the pathogenesis of abnormal inflammatory response in the syndrome. Recently, impaired fatty acid oxidation (FAO), one of the key lipid metabolic signalings, was found to participate in the onset and development of various lung diseases, including ALI/ARDS. Lipid/fatty acid contents within mouse lungs were quantified using the Oil Red O staining...

BACKGROUND: Accurate preoperative localization of pulmonary nodules is crucial for surgical treatment. The use of indocyanine green (ICG) for localization is prone to thoracic contamination and spread, resulting in the eventual failure of localization. By using medical glue combined with ICG, we can accurately and permanently locate various tissues in animal study, which can provide evidences for clinical translations. METHODS: A series of medical glue and ICG volume ratios of 2:3, 3:3, 4:3, 6:3, and 9:3 were mixed and injected immediately into subcutaneous tissues of BALB/c nude mice; either medical glue or ICG was injected singly in the control group...

Background: A distinctive pathological feature of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the aberrant accumulation of extracellular matrix components in the alveoli in abnormal remodeling and reconstruction following scarring of the alveolar structure. The current antifibrotic agents used for IPF therapy frequently result in systemic side effects because these agents are distributed, through the blood, to many different tissues after oral administration. In contrast to oral administration, the intrapulmonary administration of aerosolized drugs is believed to be an efficient method for their direct delivery to the focus sites in the lungs...

Background  CIC-DUX4 sarcoma is a rare, aggressive tumor that is difficult to diagnose. Although it is closely related to Ewing's sarcoma, each is a distinct pathologic entity and both have been previously reported in the skin, lymph nodes, and viscera. We report the first description of CIC-DUX4 involving the posterior cranial fossa and review the distinctive symptomatology, morphology, immunoprofile, and genetic signature that differentiate this rare tumor. Case Report  A 32-year-old man presented with an enlarging right lateral neck mass, progressive hoarseness, and orofacial pain...