Designing a multimodal imaging workflow for large area fluorescence with nonlinear optical microscopy for oral neoplasia detection: preclinical model and clinical sample study

The recognized need to develop better clinical approaches for detection of epithelial cancers and potentially malignant lesions than currently used has motivated work in development of noninvasive fluorescence imaging devices. While individual large area imaging and microscopic techniques are promising, recent trends have explored combinations that could merge strengths. The study will discuss a workflow to combine strengths of label-free nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM) which has shown promise for optical biopsy but is limited in scannable area with widefield autofluorescence microscopy providing large surface area assessment, in studies conducted in both a hamster model for oral neoplasia and inflammation and in surgical oral cancer specimens.