Objectives/hypothesis: Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) is a novel technique allowing real-time evaluation of the histological features of tissues in vivo at the cellular level. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using pCLE in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
Study design: Feasibility study.
Methods: In this study, the pCLE images of the lesions, as well as the surrounding or contralateral normal mucosa of the lesions, were acquired in vivo from each patient after intravenous injecting of 2.5 mL fluorescein. Biopsy specimens were collected at the imaged sites followed by a histopathological diagnosis by the pathologists, which was used as the gold standard. The pCLE images were compared to histopathological diagnosis of visualized sites by using sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV).
Results: Diagnoses based on pCLE images correlated well with the gold standard diagnoses based on tissue histology. The overall sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for diagnosis of carcinoma versus nondysplasia were 93.8% (67.7%-99.7%), 90.5% (68.2%-98.3%), 88.2% (62.3%-97.9%), and 95.0% (73.1%-99.7%), respectively, and the four indices for pCLE diagnosis of dysplasia versus nondysplasia were 60.0% (17.0%-92.7%), 80.9% (57.4%-93.7%), 42.9% (11.8%-79.8%), and 89.5% (65.5%-98.2%), respectively. The overall sensitivity for diagnosis of carcinoma versus dysplasia was 93.8% (67.7%-99.7%), specificity was 40% (7.3%-83.0%), PPV was 83.3% (57.7%-95.6%), and the NPV was 66.7% (12.5%-98.2%).
Conclusions: CLE is a suitable and valid method for otolaryngologists to diagnose of NPC in vivo.
Level of evidence: NA Laryngoscope, 129:897-902, 2019.
Keywords: Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; optical biopsy.
© 2018 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.