Characterisation of head and neck cancer using multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) in vivo and ex vivo

• Applicant: Dr. Mussab Kouka
• Subject Area: Otolaryngology, Phoniatrics and Audiology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 548343685

Head and neck cancer (HNC) are an inhomogeneous and molecularly heterogeneous group of tumours that can only be diagnosed by histopathology following invasive sampling. Current imaging techniques (ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) do not allow reliable differentiation between benign and malignant tumours. Multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) is a biophotonic imaging technique that could distinguish benign from malignant tumours quickly and without side effects. The principle of MSOT is based on the delivery of light pulses to the examined tissue with subsequent recording of the sound wave pattern generated here, which allows conclusions to be drawn about the composition of the examined tissue. In this project, patients with HNC and lymph node metastases are to be examined in stages using MSOT. Firstly, pre-therapeutic in vivo measurements will be performed. The endogenous chromophores (oxygenated haemoglobin, deoxygenated haemoglobin and total blood volume) of the tumour and the surrounding healthy reference tissue will be recorded. The aim here is to characterise HNC using MSOT by analysing the endogenous chromophores. This is followed by post-therapeutic ex vivo measurements using MSOT. The aim is to analyse whether there are MSOT parameters that can distinguish HNC from healthy tissue. The study organisation and the start of the recruitment phase of 20 patients for the pre-therapeutic in vivo measurements and the post-therapeutic ex vivo measurements are estimated to take 12 months. The aim of the present project is to create the study organisation basis for an MSOT examination of HNC and neck metastases in vivo and ex vivo in order to be able to subsequently submit a DFG follow-up application. In addition, the use of a fluorescent contrast agent such as indocyanine green (ICG) can increase the optoacoustic signal. For this reason, the diagnostic effect of ICG will be tested in the DFG follow-up proposal and its establishment in MSOT for KHT diagnostics will be sought. In the long term, the aim is to enable specific imaging and therapy-related monitoring of benign and malignant head and neck tumours and neck metastases.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants