Confocal microscopy and micro-endoscopy of the larynx

Abstract

The current gold standard in the evaluation of laryngeal lesions is white light examination followed by invasive tissue biopsy. This is a cost-intensive and time-consuming method, with a risk of over- or undertreatment in diffuse and widespread lesions. In the last decades, various optical techniques have been developed to noninvasively reveal in situ information about the histologic characteristics of tissues. Especially for the fine and fragile tissue of the larynx, a noninvasive tissue diagnosis seems to be of major importance, to reduce the risk of a function deficit after surgery.