The use of fluorescence lifetime technology in benign and malignant thyroid tissues

Objective To explore the use of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy in thyroid tissues, and to investigate how different thyroid lesions affect fluorescence lifetime.Method Fluorescence lifetime measurements were taken of fresh frozen thyroid surgical specimens stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate tagged anti-thyroglobulin monoclonal antibodies.Results The mean fluorescence lifetime measurements in 12 patients - 3 with multinodular goitre, 4 with follicular adenoma, 4 with papillary thyroid carcinoma and 1 with follicular carcinoma - were 3.16 ns (range, 2.66-3.52 ns), 3.75 ns (range, 2.99-4.57 ns), 2.97 ns (range, 2.57-3.21 ns) and 3.61 ns, respectively. The fluorescence lifetime of follicular adenoma patients was higher than that of papillary thyroid carcinoma patients by 26 per cent (p = 0.058). The fluorescence lifetime in the follicular carcinoma patient was similar to the follicular adenoma group, but higher than in the papillary thyroid carcinoma group by 22 per cent (p = 0.01).Conclusion Fluorescence lifetime measurements varied in different thyroid pathologies, possibly because of tissue-scale structural influences.