Projektbeschreibung
Umnutzung einer Augenuntersuchungsmethode für die Diagnose von Prostatakrebs
Die optische Kohärenztomographie ist ein bildgebendes Verfahren, das Aufnahmen vom Augenhintergrund macht. Das vom Europäischen Forschungsrat finanzierte Projekt PROCT zielt darauf ab, diese Methode für die Diagnose von Prostatakrebs zu nutzen. Bestehende Prostatabiopsie-Ansätze sind invasiv, subjektiv und anfällig für menschliche Fehler, was zu erheblichen Fehldiagnosen von Prostatakrebs führt. Die optische Kohärenztomographie bietet die Möglichkeit, das Prostatagewebe ohne körperliche Untersuchung sichtbar zu machen. Die Bildgebung erfolgt halbautomatisch und die Bildanalyse nutzt künstliche Intelligenz. Die PROCT-Partner werden diesen innovativen Ansatz auf präklinischer Ebene validieren, mit dem Ziel, das Krankheitsmanagement und die Lebensqualität der Betroffenen zu verbessern.
Ziel
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.
Wissenschaftliches Gebiet
Schlüsselbegriffe
Programm/Programme
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Thema/Themen
Finanzierungsplan
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept GrantsGastgebende Einrichtung
37129 Verona
Italien