Characterization of dysplastic tissue morphology and biochemistry in Barrett's esophagus using diffuse reflectance and light scattering spectroscopy.

LSS and DRS are techniques that provide diagnostically useful information based on changes in the intensity of backscattered light that has experienced either a single or multiple scattering events. These changes can be detected effectively using statistical and model-based algorithms. In addition to providing a means to detect the presence of dysplasia noninvasively, the latter approach yields potentially significant insights into the processes that are involved in the development of dysplasia in BE. Because DRS and LSS provide complementary information to each other and to other spectroscopic modalities, such as fluorescence, it is possible that a combination of all these techniques will ultimately provide a highly accurate real-time method for detecting BE dysplasia. Extending point spectroscopic measurements to imaging of the esophagus will be challenging, but continuous progess in the development of powerful light sources, sensitive detectors, and micro-optical elements should allow this method to become a reality in the near future.