Advances in Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging of Breast Lesions

Abstract

Abstract:A review is presented of recent advances in optical imaging and spectroscopy and the use of light for addressing breast cancer issues. Spectroscopic techniques offer the means to characterize tissue components and obtain functional information in real time. Three-dimentional optical imaging of the breast using various illumination and signal collection schemes in combination with image reconstruction algorithms may provide a new tool for cancer detection and monitoring of treatment. 2 Chapter 1. BackgroundAccording to the National Institutes of Health, breast cancer is the most diagnosed nonskin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States.Although the breast cancer diagnosis rate has increased, there has been a steady drop in the overall breast cancer death rate since the early 1990s. Depending on the size of the tumor and the involvement of the lymph nodes, survival rates can vary from 45-95%. The key problem with the breast is the variation in demographic size, texture, chemical composition, and age. X-ray mammography is the gold standard for breast cancer screening and detection. Mammography is most sensitive in women over 35-40 years of age because of their fatty breast composition 1 and less effective and sensitive in younger women because they have denser breasts 2 . For younger women, ultrasound is commonly used. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can also play a significant role in the diagnosis and characterization of breast disease.According to the National Cancer Society, up to 10% of all breast cancers, roughly 20,000 cases per year in the U.S., are not discovered by X-ray mammography. Also, X-ray mammography uses ionizing radiation and requires uncomfortable breast compression. It also suffers from a significant number of false positives that often lead to unnecessary biopsy since biopsy is generally required to determine malignancy in most women with an abnormal Spatial and temporal contrasts in these properties may be uniquely useful for diagnosing disease.The objective of this work is to provide a comprehensive review of the progress of photonics methods to address breast cancer issues. This review is divided into three major focus areas: a) optical spectroscopy methods suitable for tissue evaluation in real time; b) noninvasive NIR spectroscopy for the acquisition of functional information; and c) optical imaging methods for functional tumor characterization. Chapter 2. Optical biopsy methodsThe term "optical biopsy" describes the use of optical spectroscopy to characterize tissue, and requires direct exposure of the tissue under examination to the light source. Consequently, its application in a clinical setting is best suited for intraoperative use to assist in exploring tissue in real time, or via thin fiberoptic needles that can reach the suspected location within the breast for a minimally invasive evaluation.The breast is complex; its multiple tissue components make it more difficult to classify using optical spectroscopy than other tissues (...

Modern Breast Cancer Detection: A Technological Review

“…The temporal distribution (time of flight) is measured, and properties of the tissue can be determined from this distribution [94, 97]. This process can be bettered through time-gating [97]. The equipment used in this technique is expensive [94, 97].…”

“…This process can be bettered through time-gating [97]. The equipment used in this technique is expensive [94, 97]. …”

“…Amplitude decay and phase-shift measurements provide information concerning the tissue's properties [94, 97]. …”

“…This light is delivered continuously at a constant or low frequency modulated amplitude [94]. Although this method is cheaper and simpler than TD and FD, it cannot determine the internal absorption and scattering properties, and it is very sensitive to variation in surface coupling [94, 97]. …”

A Noninvasive Multimodal Sono-contrast NIR Spectroscopy System for Breast Cancer Diagnosis

“…Compared to other available clinical modalities, optical imaging is capable of gathering unique spectroscopic information directly related to the physiological status of tissue [1]. There exists an "optical window" in the near infrared (NIR) region at approximately 650-950 nm in the electromagnetic spectrum, where tissue absorption is dominated by oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin chromophores.…”