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Vacuum-based specimen holder for rapid surgical specimen imaging.
Vincent D Ching-Roa1, Chi Z Huang1, Xiang Tang1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA.
Biomedical Optics Express
|March 2, 2026
Summary
A novel vacuum-based specimen holder improves slide-free histology for Mohs surgery by flattening curved surfaces. This allows for rapid, intraoperative margin evaluation with 96% coverage, enhancing surgical precision.
Area of Science:
- Histopathology
- Surgical Pathology
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Slide-free histology offers rapid tissue evaluation but struggles with curved or beveled surgical specimen surfaces.
- Intraoperative margin assessment, crucial in procedures like Mohs surgery, demands complete imaging of the excised surface, necessitating effective surface flattening.
- Existing methods using positive pressure holders can cause optical deflection and limit the use of thin optical windows.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and evaluate a novel vacuum-based specimen holder designed for slide-free histology.
- To address the challenges of imaging curved and beveled surfaces in surgical excisions, particularly for intraoperative margin evaluation.
- To improve the speed, accuracy, and optical quality of slide-free histology in demanding surgical applications.
Main Methods:
- Development of a vacuum-based specimen holder with an open-top design.
- Application of the holder for intraoperative margin evaluation during Mohs surgery.
- Comparison of the vacuum-based holder with existing positive pressure-based holders regarding surface flattening and optical performance.
Main Results:
- The vacuum-based holder achieved a mean of 96% margin coverage for slide-free histology of Mohs specimens.
- The open-top design facilitated real-time manipulation to correct tissue folds and beveled edges, improving imaging of obscured areas.
- The vacuum holder eliminated force on the optical window, enabling thin windows and preventing pressure-induced optical deflection, resulting in a flatter imaging surface.
Conclusions:
- The vacuum-based specimen holder significantly enhances slide-free histology for intraoperative margin evaluation in Mohs surgery.
- This device overcomes limitations of curved surfaces and improves imaging quality by providing a consistently flat surface without optical distortion.
- The technology enables more rapid and accurate assessment of surgical margins, potentially improving patient outcomes.
