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[Spectral transillumination of the female breast]
R Puls1, H Heusmann, S H Heywang-Köbrunner
1Klinik für Strahlenheilkunde, Charité, Campus-Virchow-Klinikum, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin. ralf.puls@charite.de
Purpose:
Evaluation of wavelength-associated characteristics by transilluminating normal and pathological breast tissue.
Method:
80 in vivo and 52 in vitro measurements were carried out with a Mammaspectrograph (Siemens AG, ZFE München). 31 patients had a carcinoma and 59 patients a benign breast lesion. Measurements were performed with an increment of 10 nm, wavelengths between 550-1100 nm.
Results:
Normal and pathological breast tissue could be characterised in the area of absorption maxima of fat, water and haemoglobin. Atrophic breast tissue has a remarkable transmission minimum at 930 nm. Tumors with a high number of cells and neovascularisation showed a strong absorption over the entire "diagnostic window" and a transmission minimum at 970 nm. Below 700 nm the high concentration of haemoglobin resulted in an increase of transmission. Less wavelength-associated characteristics were seen in tumors with mastopatically-transformed surrounding tissue.
Conclusion:
To differentiate breast tissue, transillumination has to be performed in the area of absorption maxima of fat, water and haemoglobin.