Endoscopic Raman robot for upper gastrointestinal tumor diagnosis

Abstract Gastric and esophageal cancers are the primary forms of upper gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies, with early diagnosis being critical for improving patient survival rates. Raman spectroscopy has emerged as a promising non‐invasive tool for in situ tumor diagnosis, offering detailed biochemical molecular insights. However, its clinical application is hindered by challenges such as Raman probe navigation and stable positioning within the narrow confines of the GI tract. To address these limitations, we developed an endoscopic Raman robot system that integrates a Raman fiber‐optic probe with surgical endoscopic continuum robotic technology, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of in situ optical biopsies for upper GI tumors. The system enables precise navigation, stable positioning, and teleoperation. In the repeated locating and measuring tests on tumor tissue, it achieves the Raman spectral similarity of over 96%, ensuring reliable tumor analysis. The system is also integrated with an online tumor diagnosis platform, that is a diagnostic accuracy of over 85%, to facilitate real‐time spectral analysis and diagnosis during gastroscopic tumor inspection. Finally, we conducted validation tests on a gastrointestinal phantom, the ex vivo porcine gastric tissue, and the animal models of a live swine, all of which demonstrated the system's capability for effective navigation, target localization, spectral acquisition, and tumor diagnosis with a 10‐s acquisition time. This system represents a significant advancement in early cancer detection, offering improved diagnostic reliability and efficiency, with the potential to enhance patient outcomes through timely intervention.