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Challenges in the diagnosis of biliary stricture and cholangiocarcinoma and perspectives on the future applications of advanced technologies
Gaston, Kevin Mohammad, Abdelkhalick Venkatachalapathy, Suresh Vasan Notingher, Ioan Gordon, George S D Arora, Arvind Rawson, Frankie J Grove, Jane I Mukherjee, Abhik Gomez, Dhanny
Gaston, Kevin
Mohammad, Abdelkhalick
Venkatachalapathy, Suresh Vasan
Notingher, Ioan
Gordon, George S D
Arora, Arvind
Rawson, Frankie J
Grove, Jane I
Mukherjee, Abhik
Gomez, Dhanny
Abstract
In the management of cholangiocarcinoma, effective biliary drainage and accurate diagnosis are vital to allow further treatment. Confirmation of tissue diagnosis and molecular characterization is also required to guide future treatment options including surgery and chemotherapy as well as the possible use of personalized treatments that target specific mutations present within individual tumours. Initial CT or MRI scans may be followed by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to obtain tissue samples. However, these methods often fall short due to difficulty in accessing entire bile duct strictures. SpyGlass cholangioscopy can improve diagnosis, yet may fail to provide sufficient tissue for molecular characterization. Here we present a perspective on the development of snake-like agile robots with integrated optical imaging and Raman spectroscopy. These robots could improve the mapping of the biliary tree and the precision of biopsy collection and allow tissue analysis in situ, as well as facilitating stenting to restore the flow of bile. A multidisciplinary approach that brings together clinicians, pathologists, and engineers is required to develop these new robotic technologies and improve patient outcomes.
Affiliations
Date
2025-07-10
Type
Article
Subject
Collections
Citation
Gaston K, Mohammad A, Venkatachalapathy SV, Notingher I, Gordon GSD, Arora A, Rawson FJ, Grove JI, Mukherjee A, Gomez D, Jayaraman PS, Aithal GP. Challenges in the Diagnosis of Biliary Stricture and Cholangiocarcinoma and Perspectives on the Future Applications of Advanced Technologies. Cancers (Basel). 2025 Jul 10;17(14):2301. doi: 10.3390/cancers17142301