Miniature catheter for 3D imaging of bladder cancer

Bladder cancer care will benefit from real-time, non-invasive imaging of tissue structure to guide diagnosis and therapy. The consortium will combine Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), capable of such measurements, with novel miniaturized imaging catheters based on MEMS-based scanning mirrors for 3D imaging of bladder tissue at micrometer scale resolutions. 

By 2020, 7000 new patients will be diagnosed with bladder cancer per year. Unfortunately, bladder cancer remains among the most expensive cancers in terms of patient quality-of-life and sustainability of health care costs because often lesions are missed during diagnosis based on invasive tissue biopsies. Moreover, in 45% of patients a new cancer occurs after the first treatment. Accurate, minimally invasive, 3D imaging of the bladder will allow improved fast characterisation of suspected lesions and guiding of novel tissue sparing therapies. 

Optical Coherence Tomography (the optical equivalent of ultrasound imaging) allows for micrometer resolution, 3D imaging of the bladder wall. These images can provide doctors with information regarding tissue state, without removing the tissue. In order to take these images, novel, miniaturised imaging catheters need to be developed. 

In a previous collaboration, the consortium partners demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed approach. A ‘second generation’ imaging catheter will be developed within the current project up to the maturity level where pre-clinical evaluation is possible.