Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40119146›Full record

ArticleEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2025

Characterization of irradiated mucosa using confocal laser endomicroscopy in the upper aerodigestive tract.

Lisa Thesing, Matti Sievert, Bharat Akhanda Panuganti, Marc Aubreville, Till Meyer, Flurin Müller-Diesing, Agmal Scherzad, Stephan Hackenberg, Miguel Goncalves

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Lisa ThesingRWTH-Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-4923-2104
Matti SievertDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen- Nürnberg, University Hospital, Erlangen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0741-4049
Bharat Akhanda PanugantiDepartment of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Marc AubrevilleFlensburg University of Applied Sciences, Flensburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5294-5247
Till MeyerDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2377-3519
Flurin Müller-DiesingDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Agmal ScherzadDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Stephan HackenbergDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6995-1849
Miguel GoncalvesDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. goncalves_m@ukw.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0036-4598

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft GO 3182/4-1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeConfocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) enables a real time in-vivo optical biopsy of the upper aerodigestive tract. Previous studies demonstrated its potential in identifying malignant tissue, but none examined mucosa treated with radiotherapy. This study characterizes the appearance of irradiated mucosa using CLE.

methodsWe recorded 58 CLE sequences (860 s, 6,884 frames) in 10 patients previously treated with radiotherapy for upper aerodigestive tract tumors. A corresponding tissue biopsy (formalin-fixed, H&E stained) was taken as the reference standard for each sequence. We analyzed each sequence regarding differences from normal mucosa and characterized irradiated mucosa in CLE.

resultsIrradiated mucosa in CLE exhibits irregular tissue architecture. Radiation induces DNA damage, apoptosis, and tissue inflammation, leading to hyperkeratotic and fibrotic tissue. Consequently, CLE showed a wider range of cellular morphologic and tissue structural aberrancies, in comparison to normal, non-irradiated mucosa. In addition to regular honeycomb-like patterns, the tissue displayed uneven, blurry, and cell-rich areas. Irradiated mucosa appears more irregular and variable in CLE than radiation-naïve mucosa.

conclusionIrradiated mucosa can be differentiated from healthy tissue using CLE, but its higher baseline morphological variability may mimic malignancy. Further research is needed to clarify its impact on tumor detection and refine existing scoring systems.

Indexed as

Head and Neck NeoplasmsRespiratory MucosaAgedBiopsyFemaleHumansMaleMicroscopy, ConfocalMiddle AgedConfocal laser endomicroscopyDiagnosticHead and neck cancerIrradiated mucosaRadiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID40119146

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.