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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
Tissue-simulating Phantoms for Assessing Potential Near-infrared Fluorescence Imaging Applications in Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: September 19, 2014
Rapid noninvasive optical imaging of tissue composition in breast tumor margins
Lee G Wilke1, J Quincy Brown, Torre M Bydlon
1Department of Surgery, Duke University Health System, 3116 North Duke St., Durham, NC 27704, USA. wilke031@mc.duke.edu
Background:
In women undergoing breast conserving surgery (BCS), up to 60% can require re-excision. Our objective is to develop an optically based technology which can differentiate benign from malignant breast tissues intraoperatively through differences in tissue composition factors.
Methods:
A prospective study of optical imaging of BCS margins is being performed. Optical images are transformed into tissue composition maps with parameters of total hemoglobin concentration, b-carotene concentration and scattering. The predicted outcome is then compared to the margin-level pathology.
Results:
Fifty-five margins from 48 patients have undergone assessment. Within 34 specimens with pathologically confirmed positive margins, the ratio map of b-carotene/scattering showed the most significant difference reflecting a decrease in adipose and an increase in cell density within malignant margins (p=.002). These differences were notable in both in-situ and invasive disease.
Conclusions:
We present a novel optical spectral imaging device that provides a rapid, non-destructive assay of the tissue composition of breast tumor margins.
