Towards a Sensor System for Quantitative Fluorescence Detection in Glioma Surgery

A miniature fluorescence sensor system has been benchmarked to consider its feasibility for use in fluorescence guided surgery of gliomas. A combination of analytical experiments has confirmed the feasibility of the fluorescence detection system. A gelatine brain tumor model confirmed the selectivity of the photosensor in detecting autofluorescence and PpIX fluorescence, a key marker for brain tumors. The required sensitivity of the color sensor has also been confirmed using PpIX solutions. The color sensor achieved detection with the lowest tested concentration of 1 μg/mL. This is well below a specialist's observational limit of 4 μg/mL. The limit of detection for the sensor has not yet been determined. An ex-vivo adult rat brain model reflected the conditions for in-surgery detection, where the sensor system could localize the tumoral regionClinical Relevance- This work will lead to the development of a miniature device for glioma detection which will be integrated into existing surgical resection tools. This will lead to more complete resections, increasing surgery success and increasing patient survival rates.