Quantitative Evaluation of Transmission Efficiency in Multimode Illumination Fibers for Early
Medicine, Health, and Disease- Grade:
- 12
- Teacher:
- Erik Fleming
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy largely because it is diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment is less effective. Early symptoms are often vague, and common clinical tests such as Pap smears and CA-125 do not detect early-stage disease. Recent research indicates that many high-grade serous ovarian cancers originate in the fallopian tubes as microscopic precancerous lesions known as serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma, creating an urgent need for a sensitive, minimally invasive method to detect disease. This exploratory study quantitatively characterized optical transmission losses within the illumination sub-assembly of the CAFE Grande endoscope, a device designed for early detection of fallopian tube lesions by the lab of Dr. Jennifer Barton. Multi-mode illumination fibers were prepared using a fixed fabrication sequence, including cleaving, splicing, and polishing, to analyze how each step affects light transmission to the distal tip. Optical power meters were used to quantify transmission at each stage. Results demonstrate that transmission behavior across the fabrication sequence can be consistently measured and reveal where optical losses occur within the sub-assembly. Final fiber assemblies achieved approximately 82% transmission relative to initial input power, indicating efficient light delivery. These findings establish a baseline for illumination performance and provide insight into how fabrication quality influences optical loss. This foundation supports future optimization efforts to enhance excitation efficiency and improve fluorescence-based detection of early-stage lesions in the fallopian tubes.