Multidimensional endoscopy for early cancer detection
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Each year in the UK, over 55,000 patients will be diagnosed with oesophageal or lung cancer; a staggering 44,000 will die from their disease. The majority of patients are currently diagnosed when their disease is at a late stage (with regional or distant spread), yielding less than 10% survival over 5 years. Therefore, a key clinical unmet need remains for early disease diagnosis.
To detect these cancers early, patients that are at a high risk of disease might undergo endoscopy. An endoscope is a long, thin, flexible tube with a light source and video camera at one end to relay images from inside the body. They replicate what our eye could see if we were able to look inside the body. Endoscopy is vital for surveillance and diagnosis of cancer, however, many cancers of the oesophagus (food pipe) and lung start out as small abnormalities that are hard to spot using conventional endoscopes.
The focus of this research is to augment the vision of the endoscopist by designing a specialist video camera that detects the properties of light that our eyes are blind to. We will also use this new camera in a benchtop system that can analyse tissue that has been taken out of the body (biopsied) very quickly, before it is sent to a pathologist to check for cancer. Our new cameras are designed to be cost effective and provide extra information to help doctors with diagnosing cancer in the oesophagus and lung, and could ultimately replace the current standard-of-care.
To detect these cancers early, patients that are at a high risk of disease might undergo endoscopy. An endoscope is a long, thin, flexible tube with a light source and video camera at one end to relay images from inside the body. They replicate what our eye could see if we were able to look inside the body. Endoscopy is vital for surveillance and diagnosis of cancer, however, many cancers of the oesophagus (food pipe) and lung start out as small abnormalities that are hard to spot using conventional endoscopes.
The focus of this research is to augment the vision of the endoscopist by designing a specialist video camera that detects the properties of light that our eyes are blind to. We will also use this new camera in a benchtop system that can analyse tissue that has been taken out of the body (biopsied) very quickly, before it is sent to a pathologist to check for cancer. Our new cameras are designed to be cost effective and provide extra information to help doctors with diagnosing cancer in the oesophagus and lung, and could ultimately replace the current standard-of-care.
Planned Impact
Stakeholders that will benefit from this research include:
- Patients, through: more accessible testing (lower cost, less specialist equipment); reduced anxiety (better informed at point of test); improved outcomes (reduced mortality); and improved quality of life (fewer invasive interventions).
- Endoscopists and bronchoscopists, through: better imaging contrast that improves interpretation; reduced procedure time; and improvements in patient management.
- Endoscopy manufacturers, such as Olympus, Fuji and Pentax, and start-ups, such as Endochoice, who may benefit from our IP generation by increasing the capability of endoscopes to incorporate new techniques, involving additional research in image processing, visualisation, augmented reality as well as hardware, creating new jobs not currently present in the endoscopy field.
- Pathologists and surgeons, through: application of the MITA system, which could be deployed cost effectively, to help guide pathological sectioning and surgical margin delineation.
- Public service providers, such as the NHS, through: cost reductions in terms of procedure time as well as capital equipment. Our "5 in 1" endoscopy enables short procedures and cost effective deployment. Our MITA system has been designed through user engagement with endoscopists so is small, portable, and can fit into current facilities. Nanoplasmonic metapixel arrays should be highly robust so could also reduce service costs.
- General public, through: research engagement activites to demonstrate the power of multidisciplinary research, increasing awareness of the role of physical sciences in healthcare.
- Patients, through: more accessible testing (lower cost, less specialist equipment); reduced anxiety (better informed at point of test); improved outcomes (reduced mortality); and improved quality of life (fewer invasive interventions).
- Endoscopists and bronchoscopists, through: better imaging contrast that improves interpretation; reduced procedure time; and improvements in patient management.
- Endoscopy manufacturers, such as Olympus, Fuji and Pentax, and start-ups, such as Endochoice, who may benefit from our IP generation by increasing the capability of endoscopes to incorporate new techniques, involving additional research in image processing, visualisation, augmented reality as well as hardware, creating new jobs not currently present in the endoscopy field.
- Pathologists and surgeons, through: application of the MITA system, which could be deployed cost effectively, to help guide pathological sectioning and surgical margin delineation.
- Public service providers, such as the NHS, through: cost reductions in terms of procedure time as well as capital equipment. Our "5 in 1" endoscopy enables short procedures and cost effective deployment. Our MITA system has been designed through user engagement with endoscopists so is small, portable, and can fit into current facilities. Nanoplasmonic metapixel arrays should be highly robust so could also reduce service costs.
- General public, through: research engagement activites to demonstrate the power of multidisciplinary research, increasing awareness of the role of physical sciences in healthcare.
Publications
Baker A
(2024)
An Indocyanine Green-Based Nanoprobe for In Vivo Detection of Cellular Senescence
in Angewandte Chemie
Baker AG
(2024)
An Indocyanine Green-Based Nanoprobe for In Vivo Detection of Cellular Senescence.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Bohndiek S
(2019)
Addressing photoacoustics standards
in Nature Photonics
Bohndiek Sarah
(2020)
A PHYSICIST TALKS TO A BIOLOGIST
in NATURE
Bombara D
(2021)
Automated real-time spectral characterization of phase-change tunable filters using a linear variable filter and IR camera for wide-field MWIR imaging
in Optical Engineering
Brown E
(2019)
Photoacoustic imaging as a tool to probe the tumour microenvironment.
in Disease models & mechanisms
Büehler A
(2025)
Guided Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography for 3D Imaging of the Murine Colon.
in Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
Else T
(2024)
PATATO: a Python photoacoustic tomography analysis toolkit
in Journal of Open Source Software
Else TR
(2024)
Effects of skin tone on photoacoustic imaging and oximetry.
in Journal of biomedical optics
| Title | Supplement 1, Visualization 1.avi |
| Description | MWIR (thermal) imaging using commercial FLIR IR camera through GST-based PNA metasurface spectral filters, as the thermal source (hotplate) is increased in temperature. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| URL | https://opticapublishing.figshare.com/articles/media/Supplement_1_Visualization_1_avi/12017079 |
| Title | Supplement 1, Visualization 1.avi |
| Description | MWIR (thermal) imaging using commercial FLIR IR camera through GST-based PNA metasurface spectral filters, as the thermal source (hotplate) is increased in temperature. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| URL | https://opticapublishing.figshare.com/articles/media/Supplement_1_Visualization_1_avi/12017079/1 |
| Title | THE CAVENDISH: A TONE POEM |
| Description | Ain Bailey, an artist, composer and DJ visited the CRUK CI and Department of Physics to record sounds of the machines and equipment used in the labs This new electroacoustic composition incorporates the bleeps, pings, drones and otherworldly sounds of different labs and equipment at the Cavendish Laboratory |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | None |
| URL | https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/events/the-cavendish-a-tone-poem/ |
| Title | Visualization 1 - CO2_Gas_Imaging 470um-426um.wmv |
| Description | IR-imaging of the two GST-FP bandpass filters in front of a hotplate (set at T = 486K) with a supply of CO2 gas fed via inlet nozzle, between the hotplate and the filters. The CO2 gas supply, initially turned off, is varied and MWIR camera is used to capture the resultant response. The gas plume can be observed as the supply is varied |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| URL | https://opticapublishing.figshare.com/articles/media/Visualization_1_-_CO2_Gas_Imaging_470um-426um_w... |
| Title | Visualization 1 - CO2_Gas_Imaging 470um-426um.wmv |
| Description | IR-imaging of the two GST-FP bandpass filters in front of a hotplate (set at T = 486K) with a supply of CO2 gas fed via inlet nozzle, between the hotplate and the filters. The CO2 gas supply, initially turned off, is varied and MWIR camera is used to capture the resultant response. The gas plume can be observed as the supply is varied |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| URL | https://opticapublishing.figshare.com/articles/media/Visualization_1_-_CO2_Gas_Imaging_470um-426um_w... |
| Description | Originally developed for remote sensing, hyperspectral imaging enables the capture of both spatial and spectral information in a scene, expanding beyond the typical 'red, green and blue' of colour vision to many hundreds of colour channels. Optical interactions in early cancer give rise to changes in tissue spectral signatures, which could be used to improve diagnostic accuracy in endoscopy. Unfortunately, the wide range of image distortions experienced during clinical endoscopy make accurate hyperspectral imaging difficult. Moreover, connecting the imaging signals obtained in patients to the underpinning biology is a demanding process that requires a close alignment of imaging signals with histopathological analysis used as a gold-standard diagnostic reference. For hyperspectral imaging this presents a major challenge, since any distortions or artefacts in the recorded 3D 'hypercube' (x,y,wavelength) will lead to misclassification of tissue types. Through the EPSRC HTCA, my team have spearheaded efforts to address several of the main factors leading to hyperspectral distortions, namely motion, miniaturisation, and calibration, through advances in physics, chemistry, and data science. Leading first-in-human clinical trials, we have generated significant new knowledge of the spectral properties of oesophageal tissue, from healthy oesophagus through pre-cancerous states in Barrett's oesophagus, through to manifest cancer. These studies have been conducted using novel imaging hardware developed through the HTCA for deployment in patients and in excised tissue specimens. In tandem, we have created an open source computational toolbox for the optimal design of novel colour cameras based on input spectra from clinical studies. Finally, we have conceived new optical filter fabrication methods for cost-effective wafer-level fabrication while maintaining high optical efficiencies and narrow linewidths that in future will make it possible to miniaturise hyperspectral imaging systems for endoscopic use. In the process of undertaking these studies, we have focused on hyperspectral (colour-resolved) imaging as we found relatively modest (~<3-fold) contrast enhancement based on phase- and polarisation-resolved holographic imaging in our studies in the early years of the grant, hence this research path was closed off. In combination, our efforts to deploy novel hardware for disease characterisation and advanced computational analyses for spectral band optimisation have demonstrated a potential for ~10-fold contrast enhancement for early cancer using the spectral properties of the disease to target the colour imaging channels of the endoscope. These findings are being validated by my team with further innovation in custom colour cameras and are also being exploited by a major colour camera vendor in developing custom medical grade image sensors. We have also established several new research collaborations with groups at the University of Arizona and Johns Hopkins University in the USA, as well as Tsinghua University in China, building on these findings. Importantly for clinical translation, my team have led international efforts in standardisation: establishing criteria for biophotonic standards; developing new materials for stable and dynamic tissue-mimicking test objects; performing carefully co-registered analyses of diagnostic specimens; and leading global multi-centre evaluations. |
| Exploitation Route | The outcomes of this research are most directly relevant in the healthcare sector. Endoscopists will benefit from improved image contrast if camera and endoscopy vendors are able to build on our findings to modify the colour channels used for imaging in future instruments. We already see evidence of the enthusiasm for hyperspectral and/or multispectral imaging in healthcare arising due to the publication and data outputs of this award. In the academic sector, the results of the research are being exploited by the academic community by contributing to the evidence base for novel hardware development towards endoscopic imaging deployment. The use of our tissue imaging system is also finding added value in tangential fields such as fluorescence guided surgery, where knowledge of tissue optical properties is advantageous for surgical guidance. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| Description | Our academic findings have been used extensively by the endoscopy hardware research community, leading to further studies in other disease sites beyond those investigated in our team. The result is that the global conversation about the colour gamut of endoscopy is beginning to change, although very much in the early stages, with a major colour camera vendor now developing custom medical grade image sensors with targeted colour spectra. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Healthcare |
| Description | EU Biomed Alliance Task Force Member |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Impact | The Biomedical Alliance in Europe is the result of a unique initiative of leading European medical societies that together include more than 400,000 researchers and health professionals. The BioMed Alliance was created in 2010 to gather strength across different disciplines and areas in biomedical and health research at European level. |
| URL | https://www.biomedeurope.org/ |
| Description | Alliance for Cancer Early Detection Cambridge Member Centre |
| Amount | £3,300,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Cancer Research UK |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2019 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | CRUK Spark Award |
| Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | C47594/A26851 |
| Organisation | Cancer Research UK |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2019 |
| Description | Cambridge-Tsinghua Joint Research Initiative |
| Amount | £11,250 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 12/2020 |
| Description | EPSRC - Impact Acceleration Account Follow on Fund |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | ESRC Impact Acceleration Account Cambridge |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2021 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | Ubiquitous Optical Healthcare Technologies (ubOHT) |
| Amount | £6,904,302 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/X037770/1 |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2023 |
| End | 09/2029 |
| Title | HySE - hyperspectral endoscopy |
| Description | This method allows for the collection of hyperspectral imaging data from endoscopy, which enables the resolution of different lesion types in the gastrointestinal tract. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Methodology has been tested in 2 clinical studies resulting in 3 manuscripts Methodology has been patented and licenced to a spin out company supported by NLC |
| Title | A background correction method to compensate illumination variation in hyperspectral imaging |
| Description | Funder: FP7 People: Marie-Curie Actions; funder-id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100011264; Grant(s): FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG-630729 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/303457 |
| Title | Dataset for: Characterizing optical fiber transmission matrices using metasurface reflector stacks for lensless imaging without distal access |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/305512 |
| Title | Dataset for: First experience in clinical application of hyperspectral endoscopy for evaluation of colonic polyps |
| Description | All code and processed images used to prepare the figures associated with this manuscript. Raw endoscopy videos can be obtained on request from the corresponding author. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Dataset was used for subsequent analysis that led to further publishable outputs and a patent filing. |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/323059 |
| Title | Dataset for: First-in-human pilot study of snapshot multispectral endoscopy for early detection of Barrett's-related neoplasia. |
| Description | Research data and code arising from a first-in-human endoscopy clinical trial (NCT03388047). Each of the data tables contains 9-point multispectral image spectra created from multispectral images captured using a snapshot multispectral endoscope. The raw images were processed into these image spectra using the code in 'PROCESSING CODE'. Raw image data can be provided upon request. The tissue spectra were captured in a first-in-human pilot study in the oesophagus. The colour spectra were captured from an X-rite colour target. Each row of the arrays contains the information about the spectra, most importantly, the labels from pathology. The different arrays contain spectra from averages over each multispectral image (processed_tissue_spectra.mat), each patient (processed_tissue_spectra_avg_per_trial.mat and processed_tissue_spectra_avg_per_trial_per_region_then_pooled.mat), and over all patients (processed_tissue_spectra_avg_overall.mat). Please see included readme files for further details. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | None yet. |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/329675 |
| Title | Dataset for: Grayscale-to-color: Scalable fabrication of custom multispectral filter arrays. |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/298173 |
| Title | Dataset for: Multispectral imaging of nailfold capillaries using light-emitting diode illumination |
| Description | The dataset consists of a series of zip files containing the raw data underlying each of the figures in the associated manuscript. See the Readme file for a detailed description of the dataset. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | N/A |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/345945 |
| Title | Dataset for: Quantitative phase and polarization imaging through an optical fiber applied to detection of early esophageal tumorigenesis |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/304918 |
| Title | Dataset for: Spectral endoscopy combined with computational modelling and deep-learning yield high-contrast for oesophageal neoplasia |
| Description | Data upload contains data tables of attenuation and reflection spectra. Also contains the code used to generate the manuscript Figures and Tables from the data. Raw endoscopy videos can be obtained upon request from the corresponding author of the manuscript. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Supported investigations that subsequently led to further publications and a patent filing |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/323051 |
| Title | Dataset for: Targeted multispectral filter array design for endoscopic cancer detection in the gastrointestinal tract |
| Description | Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: Datasets were previously published and were collected as described in https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.26.10.106002 and https://doi.org/10.1002/jbio.202100078). The folder "Datasets" contains curated spectral datasets used based on previous clinical trials for Oesophageal and Colon tissues these are read by the respective Python notebooks The folder "Optimization" includes the Python notebooks used to generate the optimal filter arrays Resulting variables saved to file: [classification method]_[tissue type]¬_varibles.npz ( eg. "kNN_Ose_variables.npz") The saved variables include: for each number of bands N 'bands_[N]' centre wavelengths of the selected bands (nM) 'bws_[N]' FWHM of bandwidths of the selected bands (nM) ' pattern_[N]' optimal arrangement of selected bands ' accu_[N]' spectral classification accuracy for optimal bands 'spatial_acc_[N]' spatial classification accuracy for optimal bands 'labels_pred_[N]' classification labels These variables were condensed in "Band Optimization Summary 23 July 23.xlsx" for easier interpretation "Band Optimization Summary 23 July 23.xlsx" is a summary of the optimized filters "Summary.ipynb" plots the figures used in the paper and SI All information is summarised in the readme.doc file. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/368220 |
| Title | Dataset supporting: Distribution-informed and wavelength-flexible data-driven photoacoustic oximetry |
| Description | This data set comprises simulated photoacoustic imaging data of various synthetic geometries (training_processed) and experimentally acquired data of two blood flow phantoms, of mice, and of human forearms (test_final). A complete description of these datasets is provided in the associated paper, which is available open access and on the preprint server arXiv. Furthermore, the data contain pre-trained models on each of the training datasets with various sparsity levels (models_LSTM) and a few examples of the raw simulation outputs produced by the SIMPA toolkit before preprocessing (sample_images). Unfortunately, it is not feasible to share all raw data due to its file size (>1.5 TB), but all results presented in this work are reproducible from the provided processed data. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/364239 |
| Title | Dataset supporting: Technical validation studies of a dual-wavelength LED-based photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system |
| Description | Data including imaging and processed data acquired using an LED-based photoacoustic imaging system from both tissue mimicking phantoms and animal models to demonstrate technical and biological imaging performance. Data acquired from tissue mimicking phantoms is available in raw form (.fig file) zipped into a single folder (Prexion-Stability.zip) Data acquired from animals is available in processed form, representing the data comprising the graphs within the published manuscript. Accompanying raw data is too large for deposit but is available upon request from the corresponding author for a direct transfer. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | N/A |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/323060 |
| Title | Hyperspectral Colour Classification (HCC) |
| Description | Dataset utilised for the training and testing of the spectral classification system for a line-scanning hyperspectral endoscope and the associated core algorithms. See the Readme file for a detailed description. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | None known |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/303062 |
| Title | Research data supporting "A background correction method to compensate illumination variation in hyperspectral imaging" |
| Description | The dataset includes experimental and simulation data and the codes used in the paper "A background correction method to compensate illumination variation in hyperspectral imaging". All experimental data is captured using hyperspectral endoscopy (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09484-4). See the Readme file for detailed information. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/302032 |
| Description | Johnson & Johnson |
| Organisation | Johnson & Johnson |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We are bringing IP in optical filter fabrication to enable multispectral imaging using OVT sensors by direct deposition of filters using electron beam lithography and photolithography |
| Collaborator Contribution | J&J (Auris) are providing bare silicon wafers for us to test our filter technologies for direct deposition onto CMOS image sensors |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary, engineering, physics, medical. No outputs as yet |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Omnivision Technologies |
| Organisation | OmniVision Technologies Inc |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We are bringing IP in optical filter fabrication to enable multispectral imaging using OVT sensors by direct deposition of filters using electron beam lithography and photolithography |
| Collaborator Contribution | OVT are providing bare silicon wafers for us to test our filter technologies for direct deposition onto CMOS image sensors |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary, engineering, physics, medical No outputs as yet |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Title | A SINGLE STEP LITHOGRAPHY COLOUR FILTER |
| Description | We disclose herein a method of producing an optical filter. The method comprising depositing a first mirror layer onto a substrate; depositing an insulating layeron the first mirror; exposing at least some of a plurality of portions of a surface of the insulating layer to a dose of energy; developing the insulating layer in order to remove a volume from the at least some of the plurality of portions of the insulating layer, wherein the volume of the insulating layer removed from each portion is related to the dose of energy exposed to each portion, and wherein a remaining thickness after the removal of the volume from each portion of the insulating layer is relatedto the dose of energy exposed to each portion. The method further comprising depositing a second mirror layer on the remaining thickness of each of the plurality of portions of the insulating layer such that the remaining thickness of each of the plurality of portions of the insulating layer define a profile of the optical filter. |
| IP Reference | WO2019239139 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2019 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | none yet |
| Title | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WIDE-FIELD HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING |
| Description | Embodiments of the present invention provide a hyperspectral endoscope system, comprising a memory for storing data therein, an endoscope arranged to, in use, receive radiation reflected from a sample and to output wide-field image data and line-scan hyperspectral data corresponding to the sample, a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is arranged, in use, to determine registration information between portions of the wide-field image data, and determine wide-area hyperspectral image data in dependence on the registration information and the line-scan hyperspectral data. |
| IP Reference | US2021374981 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2021 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | None yet |
| Title | METHODS OF CHARACTERISING AND IMAGING WITH AN OPTICAL SYSTEM |
| Description | A method of characterizing an optical system, wherein the optical system comprises an optical fibre having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the optical fibre comprises a non-single-mode optical fibre, and comprising a reflector assembly comprising a stack of reflectors disposed at the distal end of the optical fibre, wherein the stack of reflectors is arranged to provide different reflector matrices in dependence on illumination wavelength. The method comprises projecting calibration patterns at a plurality of characterization wavelengths onto the proximal end, then obtaining, at the proximal end, data relating to reflected calibration patterns. An instantaneous transmission matrix of the optical fibre is then determined using the data relating to the reflected calibration patterns and the reflector matrices. |
| IP Reference | US2021386277 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2021 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | none yet |
| Title | Ex-Vision 2 |
| Description | Ev vivo imaging platform for tissue characterisation |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | none yet |
| Title | ExVision |
| Description | Ex vivo imaging platform for tissue characterisation |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2022 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | none yet |
| Title | HySE |
| Description | Clinical trial provided promising supporting data for further funding applications |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Refinement. Clinical |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2020 |
| Development Status | Actively seeking support |
| Clinical Trial? | Yes |
| Impact | Patent filed and publication in preparation |
| Title | Hyperspectral Endoscopy |
| Description | Endoscopy tool for early detection of cancer |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Refinement. Clinical |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2020 |
| Development Status | Actively seeking support |
| Clinical Trial? | Yes |
| Impact | First-in-human trial. Developing new approach for future applications. |
| URL | https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT03388047 |
| Title | Hyperspectral Endoscopy for Early Barrett's-related Cancer Detection |
| Description | A medical endoscope (Olympus 260 series) is connected to a custom light source, consisting of white light from a supercontinuum laser (SuperK Extreme laser, NKT photonics) filtered by a wavelength selection module. This module consists of one of two tunable illumination systems: an acousto-optic tunable filter (SuperK Select, NKT photonics), enabling narrowband spectral sweeps (<=16 wavelengths), or a system composed of a diffraction grating and a high-speed digital micromirror device (Vialux V-6501), enabling flexible, narrowband spectrum sweeps in addition to spectrally compressed hyperspectral imaging. The final light output has an intensity similar to, or smaller than, the output from the white lamp in a standard illumination unit (CLV-260SL, CV-1500). The filtered light is fibre coupled in the endoscope light guide. Using a CE marked endoscope with a new hyperspectral light source allows to image the oesophagus with hyperspectral light and has the advantage of relying on a medical device already approved for clinical use. The proposed trial has been submitted for ethics approval on 2024/02/?? and is funded by the Cancer Research UK (CRUK Core Funding C9545/A29580). The Biomedical Research Centre (National Institute for Health and Care Research) and Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre contribute infrastructure support |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Refinement. Clinical |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Clinical Trial? | Yes |
| Impact | None |
| Title | MAPS |
| Description | We applied multispectral imaging to transnasal pituitary surgery, however, the results were equivocal so the method is on hold pending further analysis of the current trial data. |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2022 |
| Development Status | On hold |
| Clinical Trial? | Yes |
| UKCRN/ISCTN Identifier | n/a |
| Impact | none yet |
| Title | MuSE |
| Description | Spectral endoscopy |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Refinement. Clinical |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2020 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Clinical Trial? | Yes |
| Impact | Application in 20 patient pilot clinical trial led to promising clinical data supporting further funding application and translational activities. One patent in preparation. |
| Title | Opti-MSFA Code and Repository |
| Description | This code contains the github repository v1.0 for Opti-MSFA. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| URL | https://opticapublishing.figshare.com/articles/software/Opti-MSFA_Code_and_Repository/17061428 |
| Title | Opti-MSFA Code and Repository |
| Description | This code contains the github repository v1.0 for Opti-MSFA. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| URL | https://opticapublishing.figshare.com/articles/software/Opti-MSFA_Code_and_Repository/17061428/1 |
| Title | OptiMSFA |
| Description | Multispectral imaging captures spatial information across a set of discrete spectral channels and is widely utilized across diverse applications such as remote sensing, industrial inspection, and biomedical imaging. Multispectral filter arrays (MSFAs) are filter mosaics integrated atop image sensors that facilitate cost-effective, compact, snapshot multispectral imaging. MSFAs are pre-configured based on application-where filter channels are selected corresponding to targeted absorption spectra-making the design of optimal MSFAs vital for a given application. Despite the availability of many design and optimization approaches for spectral channel selection and spatial arrangement, major limitations remain. There are few robust approaches for joint spectral-spatial optimization, techniques are typically only applicable to limited datasets and most critically, are not available for general use and improvement by the wider community. Here, we reconcile current MSFA design techniques and present Opti-MSFA: a Python-based open-access toolbox for the centralized design and optimization of MSFAs. Opti-MSFA incorporates established spectral-spatial optimization algorithms, such as gradient descent and simulated annealing, multispectral-RGB image reconstruction, and is applicable to user-defined input of spatial-spectral datasets or imagery. We demonstrate the utility of the toolbox by comparing against other published MSFAs using the standard hyperspectral datasets Samson and Jasper Ridge, and further show application on experimentally acquired fluorescence imaging data. In conjunction with end-user input and collaboration, we foresee the continued development of Opti-MSFA for the benefit of the wider research community. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | none yet |
| URL | https://opg.optica.org/oe/fulltext.cfm?uri=oe-30-5-7591&id=469746 |
| Description | British Physics Olympiad |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Gave a talk to ~500 students and parents in person at the Royal Society and online about the importance of physics in cancer research and the diverse career paths that one can take in science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | CRUK-AACR Physical Sciences in Oncology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk followed by interactive panel session |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Cambridge Physics Centre Sixth Form Lecture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Talk given to sixth form students on "Seeing Early Cancer in a New Light" 100 students attended the in person/online seminar. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://outreach.phy.cam.ac.uk/file/cpc-nov-23 |
| Description | Cambridge University Physics Society |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Gave a talk to CUPS attended by more than 40 physics undergraduates explaining how physics can be applied for early cancer detection. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Convergent Science in Surgical Oncology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Conference presentation |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Departmental Seminar, University of Toronto Mississauga |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Virtual talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | ECI - Conference: Advances in Optics for Biotechnology, Medicine and Surgery |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Was invited to give a speak at the conference on the topic "Seeing early cancer in a new light with hyperspectral endoscopy". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://engconf.us/conferences/biotechnology/advances-in-optics-for-biotechnology-medicine-and-surge... |
| Description | Gordon Research Conference on Optics in Biomedicine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | *SARAH TO ANSWER* |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | HOPES Seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Virtual talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Light@Bath Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Participation in sandpit workshop including giving scene setting talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | MIPS Seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented a seminar on ""Seeing early cancer in a new light"", |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://events.stanford.edu/event/mips_seminar_-_dr_emma_lundberg_phd |
| Description | Optics and Photonics Group Seminar, University of Nottingham |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | *SARAH TO ANSWER* |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | People doing physics (podcast) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Recorded a podcast for the Cavendish Laboratory series looking at the real people behind physics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | People doing physics (video) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Recorded a short social media video on my motivation to study physics and apply it in cancer research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Photon 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Virtual talk - plenary |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | SPIE Photonics Europe Clinical Biophotonics Symposium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | *SARAH TO ANSWER* |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | SPIE Photonics West 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Plenary session, two sub-sessions and an educational session delivered. Two sessions chaired. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Sam Gambhir Mentee Symposium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | *SARAH TO ANSWER* |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Sci-Phy-4-Health Seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Educational session for PhD students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | St Andrews Departmental Seminar, Virtual |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | *SARAH TO ANSWER* |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Stanford University Surgical Navigation Symposium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | *SARAH TO ANSWER* |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Tiny TED talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Gave a talk to ~100 students and parents at Milton Road Primary School explaining the true colour of cancer. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Tsinghua University, Virtual |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | *SARAH TO ANSWER* |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | University of Exeter Physics Colloquium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Local seminar |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Xian Jiaotong, Virtual |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | *SARAH TO ANSWER* |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |