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Terahertz imaging of metastatic lymph nodes using spectroscopic integration technique
Jae Yeon Park1, Hyuck Jae Choi2, Hwayeong Cheon1
1Department of Physics, University of Seoul, Seoul 130- 743, South Korea.
Biomedical Optics Express
|March 9, 2017
Summary
Terahertz (THz) imaging successfully differentiated metastatic states in frozen lymph nodes (LNs) using spectroscopic integration technique (SIT). This method accurately identified healthy, partially, and fully metastatic LNs, offering potential for clinical diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Spectroscopy
- Cancer Diagnostics
Background:
- Accurate staging of lymph node metastasis is crucial for cancer treatment planning.
- Conventional imaging techniques face limitations in differentiating subtle tissue changes in metastatic lymph nodes.
- Terahertz (THz) imaging offers non-ionizing, label-free visualization of biological tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of Terahertz (THz) imaging combined with spectroscopic integration technique (SIT) for classifying metastatic states of frozen lymph nodes (LNs).
- To determine if THz imaging can distinguish between healthy, partially metastatic, and completely metastatic LNs.
- To assess the potential of this technique for clinical application in cancer diagnostics.
Main Methods:
- Terahertz (THz) imaging was applied to frozen lymph node (LN) specimens from mice with and without induced melanoma.
- Spectroscopic Integration Technique (SIT) was employed to process THz signals and enhance differences between healthy and cancerous tissues.
- Specimens were classified into three groups: healthy LNs, completely metastatic LNs, and partially metastatic LNs.
Main Results:
- THz signals were indistinguishable at room temperature due to high water content in tissues.
- A distinct signal gap between healthy and metastatic LNs was observed at freezing temperatures.
- SIT significantly enhanced this signal gap, enabling clear visualization of melanoma-healthy tissue interfaces in partially metastatic LNs.
- The technique achieved high resolution, identifying metastatic areas as small as 0.7 mm.
Conclusions:
- Terahertz (THz) imaging of frozen specimens using SIT is a promising method for diagnosing LN metastatic states.
- This technique offers improved visualization of metastatic interfaces compared to conventional methods.
- The findings support the potential clinical applicability of THz imaging for cancer staging.
