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Tracking the Mammary Architectural Features and Detecting Breast Cancer with Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: December 15, 2014
Diagnostic power of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for targeted detection of breast lesions with
Jaqueline S Soares1, Ishan Barman, Narahara Chari Dingari
1George R Harrison Spectroscopy Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Abstract:
Microcalcifications geographically target the location of abnormalities within the breast and are of critical importance in breast cancer diagnosis. However, despite stereotactic guidance, core needle biopsy fails to retrieve microcalcifications in up to 15% of patients. Here, we introduce an approach based on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for detection of microcalcifications that focuses on variations in optical absorption stemming from the calcified clusters and the associated cross-linking molecules. In this study, diffuse reflectance spectra are acquired ex vivo from 203 sites in fresh biopsy tissue cores from 23 patients undergoing stereotactic breast needle biopsies. By correlating the spectra with the corresponding radiographic and histologic assessment, we have developed a support vector machine-derived decision algorithm, which shows high diagnostic power (positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 97% and 88%, respectively) for diagnosis of lesions with microcalcifications. We further show that these results are robust and not due to any spurious correlations. We attribute our findings to the presence of proteins (such as elastin), and desmosine and isodesmosine cross-linkers in the microcalcifications. It is important to note that the performance of the diffuse reflectance decision algorithm is comparable to one derived from the corresponding Raman spectra, and the considerably higher intensity of the reflectance signal enables the detection of the targeted lesions in a fraction of the spectral acquisition time. Our findings create a unique landscape for spectroscopic validation of breast core needle biopsy for detection of microcalcifications that can substantially improve the likelihood of an adequate, diagnostic biopsy in the first attempt.
Insights
Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy detects breast microcalcifications, improving biopsy accuracy. This optical method enhances early breast cancer diagnosis by identifying calcifications missed by traditional biopsies.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Optics
- Medical Physics
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Microcalcifications are crucial indicators of breast abnormalities and cancer.
- Core needle biopsies, guided by stereotactic imaging, miss microcalcifications in up to 15% of cases, necessitating repeat procedures.
- Accurate detection of microcalcifications is vital for timely and effective breast cancer diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate a diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) approach for detecting microcalcifications in breast tissue.
- To assess the diagnostic performance of DRS in identifying microcalcifications within core needle biopsy samples.
- To compare the efficacy of DRS with Raman spectroscopy for microcalcification detection.
Main Methods:
- Diffuse reflectance spectra were acquired ex vivo from 203 tissue sites in fresh biopsy cores from 23 patients.
- A support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was developed by correlating spectral data with radiographic and histologic assessments.
- Spectroscopic data was analyzed to identify optical absorption variations linked to calcified clusters and associated molecules.
Main Results:
- The SVM-derived DRS algorithm demonstrated high diagnostic power, with a positive predictive value of 97% and a negative predictive value of 88%.
- The findings were robust and not attributed to spurious correlations, indicating reliable detection of microcalcifications.
- DRS signal intensity allowed for rapid lesion detection, comparable in performance to Raman spectroscopy but in a fraction of the time.
Conclusions:
- Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy offers a promising, rapid, and accurate method for detecting breast microcalcifications.
- This spectroscopic approach can significantly improve the success rate of diagnostic core needle biopsies, reducing the need for repeat procedures.
- The study highlights the potential of DRS for spectroscopic validation in breast biopsies, enhancing diagnostic yield and patient care.
