Swelling will become easier to diagnose
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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Scientists have developed a new technique for diagnosing edema using an optical wide - field microscopic (capillaroscopic) method and a laser scanning microscopic method.
Experts described the essence of the newest and demanded development in the publication of the scientific journal Diagnostics .
Until now, practicing doctors could not use quantitative diagnostics and determine the degree of edema, evaluate detailed dynamic changes in the edema syndrome . To remedy the existing situation, the staff of Moscow State University began to develop methods that allow assessing the exact characteristics of edema using optical microscopes.
“We were able to demonstrate that for patients with cardiac insufficiency, morphological values reflected during vasoscopy can be used to describe prolonged edema. Of particular importance here is the diametrical size of the transitional capillary segment and the size of the perivascular section. When examining healthy people, we used two models of short-term edema syndrome and did not reveal pronounced changes in capillary values. But in these situations, we observed a clear decrease in the quality of the image with the image of the capillaries, which is due to the accumulation of moisture in the epidermal layer, ”explained one of the authors of the study.
To verify the results, the researchers used a confocal microscopic technique that provided optimal contrast and intense spatial expansion during tissue imaging. The work demonstrated that in the presence of edema, the papillary-dermal zones acquired hyporefractivity (reduced reflection of optical radiation), which entailed a loss of image contrast. A similar situation was observed in people who received infusion treatment. Thus, the proposed diagnostic technique helps to assess the dynamics of the edema syndrome in the pericapillary zones.
The issue of improving diagnostics for edema has arisen for a long time: scientists have been developing new techniques for affordable and reliable clinical examinations of patients for many years. Edematous fluid accumulation in the intercellular space can be observed everywhere in a variety of pathological conditions, including heart failure, inflammatory processes, lymphostasis. The newly developed method will allow practitioners to accurately assess the degree and dynamics of edema. Previously, there were no similar diagnostic methods, and doctors had to limit themselves exclusively to physical examination.