Multi-contrast laser endoscopy is a platform that researchers are developing to help endoscopists better detect subtle lesions during colonoscopy without increasing procedure time or disrupting workflow, according to a June 23 preprint study available from Ithaca, N.Y.-based Cornell University’s ArXiv database.
The system employs laser illumination at specific wavelengths to enhance tissue contrast, blood flow assessment and mucosal topography, while allowing for instant switching back to standard white-light imaging.
Taylor Bobrow, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, who worked on the study, told Becker’s the key difference in this technology is replacing the conventional broad‑spectrum light source with precisely tuned laser light.
“We built this custom light source that has a bunch of different wavelengths that we selected due to their contrast with tissue based on prior studies,” Dr. Bobrow said.
One of MLE’s primary goals is to improve detection of flat, nonpolypoid lesions, which are harder to distinguish from surrounding tissue but carry a higher malignancy risk.
“We could combine those wavelengths in a way where just the color looks different in lesions versus surrounding tissue,” Dr. Bobrow said.
The technology could be especially relevant as colorectal cancer rates climb among adults younger than 50, a trend that has concerned gastroenterologists in recent years. While colonoscopy remains the gold standard for screening, research shows some cancers are linked to lesions missed during the procedure.
“One of the hypotheses is that some of these [cases] are because of missed lesions during colonoscopy,” Dr. Bobrow said. “Patients are following the recommended guidelines for screening, but during those procedures, polyps are missed that become CRC by the time they have their next screening.”
The platform can also make subtle changes in tissue shape easier to see.
“The other one is the topography… we found that it actually was enhanced and made them more visually apparent when we use that mode,” he said.Research supports the potential benefits of multispectral and laser‑based imaging. A Scientific Reports study found targeted wavelength illumination improved GI lesion visibility. A Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology review also noted that optical enhancement systems could reduce missed-polyp rates.
