Invention Description
During breast-conserving surgery, accurately identifying tumor margins is essential for removing cancerous tissue while preserving as much healthy breast tissue as possible. Conventional margin assessment often relies on pathology after tissue removal, which can delay results and may require additional surgery when cancer is later detected at the margins. Distinguishing cancerous tissue from healthy or fibrotic tissue during the procedure also remains challenging. A rapid, precise, and label-free approach could provide surgeons with more immediate guidance during tumor removal.
Researchers at Arizona State University, in conjunction with collaborators at Mayo, have developed a high-speed, metasurface-based Spectroscopic Mueller Matrix (SpMM) imaging platform for rapid breast tissue assessment. This system analyzes how fresh, unprocessed tissue interacts with multiple wavelengths and polarization states of light to identify structural and spectro-polarimetric differences between cancerous, benign, and fibrotic tissue. Designed for microscopic, in-situ imaging, the platform targets a field of view greater than 1 cm, spatial resolution approaching 1 μm, and full Mueller matrix acquisition in approximately 150 milliseconds without conventional labeling or tissue processing. Preliminary studies have demonstrated differences in tissue architecture, while ongoing work is focused on validating diagnostic biomarkers and performance against pathology for future clinical use.
This compact, label-free imaging platform uses high-speed spectro-polarimetric analysis to help surgeons rapidly identify breast cancer margins during breast-conserving surgery.
Potential Applications
- Intraoperative margin assessment during breast-conserving surgery and lumpectomy
- Real-time, label-free imaging of fresh tissue in operating rooms and surgical pathology laboratories
- Breast cancer detection, tissue characterization, and optical biomarker research
- Compact or handheld imaging systems for point-of-care surgical and pathology workflows
- Potential applications in other surgical oncology procedures requiring rapid tissue assessment
Benefits and Advantages
- Fresh breast tissue evaluation in pathology laboratories
- Breast cancer detection and tissue characterization
- Clinical research and development of optical biomarkers
- Intraoperative margin assessment during breast-conserving surgery
- Real-time, point-of-care imaging in operating rooms
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