Project description
Repurposing an eye exam method for prostate cancer diagnosis
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging technique that takes pictures of the back of the eye. Funded by the European Research Council, the PROCT project aims to exploit this method for prostate cancer diagnosis. Existing prostate biopsy approaches are invasive, subjective and prone to human error, leading to significant misdiagnoses of prostate cancer. OCT offers the potential to visualise the prostate tissue without any physical examination. Imaging will be semi-automated and image analysis will take place utilising AI. PROCT partners will validate at the preclinical level this innovative approach aiming to improve disease management and patients’ quality of life.
Objective
With 1.3 million new cases worldwide, prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in men, causing more than 350,000 deaths each year. It is so common that about 1 man in 8 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. As for any degenerative disease, early diagnosis is crucial to improve patients’ quality of life and reduce the mortality rate. However, the gold standard technique (biopsy) is affected by large diagnostic errors, representing a major limitation to achieve adequate management of PC.
The PROCT project aims to validate in pre-clinical stage a semiautonomous robotic approach to PC diagnosis based on Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), which aims to exactly pinpoint the target lesion and analyse it through an AI and robotic-based imaging setup. This can comprehensively visualize the lesions at the microscopic level in vivo, without taking any physical sample of the prostate. The resulting virtual microscope slide will allow urologists to explore and analyse various suspicious areas in the same procedure without the need to rely on the physical examination of the biopsy samples.
PROCT is a paradigm shift in PC biopsy, that is poised to turn a subjective and operator-dependent procedure into a safer and more accurate diagnostic tool. This solution is obtained by merging the AI-based target identification with robotic pointing developed in the previous PoC project PROST with a micro-optical coherence tomography sensor capable to acquire images of the prostate through a needle at cellular-level resolution.
The PROCT prototype will be laboratory validated and benchmarked to assess its usability and real time capabilities. It will be also tested and validated on ex-vivo animal tissues and in the cadaver laboratory.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyprostate cancer
- social sciencessociologydemographymortality
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopy
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringrobotics
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept GrantsHost institution
37129 Verona
Italy