Christy A. Lancaster

The Cell-CT 3-dimensional cell imaging technology platform enables the detection of lung cancer using the noninvasive LuCED sputum test

The war against cancer has yielded important advances in the early diagnosis and treatment of certain cancer types, but the poor detection rate and 5‐year survival rate for lung cancer has changed little over the past 40 years. Early detection through emerging lung cancer screening programs promise the most reliable means of improving mortality. Sputum cytology has been tried without success because sputum contains few malignant cells that are difficult for cytologists to detect. However, research has shown that sputum contains diagnostic malignant cells and could serve as a means of lung cancer detection if those cells could be detected and correctly characterized. Recently, the National Lung Screening Trial reported that screening using 3 consecutive low‐dose x‐ray computed tomography scans provides a 20% reduction in lung cancer mortality compared with chest x‐ray. However, this reduction in mortality comes with an unacceptable false‐positive rate that increases patient risks and the overall cost of lung cancer screening. The LuCED test for detection of early lung cancer is reviewed in the current article. LuCED is based on patient sputum that is enriched for bronchial epithelial cells. The enriched sample is then processed on the Cell‐CT, which images cells in 3 dimensions with submicron resolution. Algorithms are applied to the 3‐dimensional cell images to extract morphometric features that drive a classifier to identify cells that have abnormal characteristics. The final status of these candidate abnormal cells is established by the pathologists manual review. LuCED promotes accurate cell classification that could enable the cost‐effective detection of lung cancer. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2015;123:512–523.

Simultaneous 3D imaging of morphology and nanoparticle distribution in single cells with the Cell-CT™ technology

The Cell-CT™ is an optical projection tomography microscope (OPTM) developed for high resolution 3D imaging of single cells based on absorption stains and brightfield microscopy. In this study we demonstrate the use of the Cell-CT™ in multi-color mode for simultaneous imaging of cellular 3D morphology and the 3D distribution of nanoparticle clusters in the cytoplasm. The ability to image cellular processes in relation to cellular compartments with a non-fluorescence 3D technology opens new perspectives for molecular research.

Enabling Technologies for a Personal Flow Cytometer, Part II: Integrated Analysis Cartridges

A novel microcytometry system that monitors leukocyte populations to assess human pathogen exposure is being jointly developed by Micronics and Honeywell. The system contains both an instrument and a disposable card that contains complex microfluidic circuits for blood sample acquisition, reagent storage, erythrocyte lysis, cytometry, and waste storage. This talk discusses the subsystems that provide these functions and shows experimental results qualitatively describing hydrodynamic focusing and leukocyte populations.

Multimodal three-dimensional imaging with isometric high resolution using optical projection tomography

The optical projection tomography microscope (OPTM) is an optical microscope that acquires focus-invariant images from multiple views of single cells. Although the depth of field of the objective is short, it can be extended by scanning the objectives focal plane. This extended depth of field image is similar to a projection in conventional X-ray CT. Samples flow through a microcapillary tube filled with optical gel. Optical distortion is minimized by matching refractive index of optical gel and tube. Multiple projection images are taken by rotating the microcapillary tube with sub-micron mechanical precision. After these pseudoprojection images are further aligned, computed tomography methods are then applied to the images to create a 3D reconstruction with isometric resolution of 0.35 microns. Three-dimensional reconstructed images of fluorescent microspheres and cells are shown.