Industry News: General Research
Terahertz Imaging May Reduce Unnecessary Breast Cancer Surgeries
April 25, 2006
A new imaging technique could help ensure complete removal of breast cancer tumors and reduce the need for repeat surgeries, according to a new study.
In breast cancer excision surgery, surgeons attempt to remove the entire tumor with an adequate margin of normal tissue, while minimizing the amount of healthy tissue being removed. Presence of tumor at or near the margins during laboratory analysis indicates a higher chance of cancer recurrence. A second operation is required to remove more tissue, involving additional hospital resources and increased risk of complications. Thus, there is a clinical need to accurately define the margins of the tumor during surgery.
In the study, researchers investigated the possibility of using terahertz imaging to examine excised breast tissue and determine if the removed tissue margins were clear of cancer. The terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum lies between the microwave and infrared regions, and terahertz radiation has a number of properties that make it a viable medical imaging technique.
For example, terahertz wavelengths are longer than infrared and optical radiation, so scattering in biologic tissue is small in comparison. Also, terahertz radiation is nonionizing, and the power levels used are many orders of magnitude lower than those in the recommended safety guidelines.
Researchers compared the size and shape of breast tumor regions from 22 women. All samples were first sliced and imaged with terahertz light, and then submitted for histopathologic analysis. Imaging took less than five minutes.
Terahertz light was able to reliably distinguish between normal breast tissue, tumor and even early-stage cancers in excised tissue samples. The shape of the tumor regions on terahertz images correlated well with that on a photomicrograph.
“Findings of this study demonstrate the potential of terahertz pulsed imaging to depict both invasive breast carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ under controlled conditions and encourage further studies to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the technique,” said Vincent P. Wallace, Ph.D., of TeraView in Cambridge, England, and colleagues. “This technology could aid the surgeon in immediately identifying residual cancer after the main tumor has been removed, thus minimizing the need for additional surgical procedures.” The study appeared in the May issue of Radiology.
Dr. Wallace noted that there are a number of imaging modalities and techniques being investigated as adjuncts to mammography to aid in the diagnosis of breast cancer or to guide biopsy, including infrared and optical imaging, thermography, electrical impedance, and magnetic resonance.
“Terahertz pulsed imaging provides information, which is complementary to these techniques, with use of a new region of the electromagnetic spectrum that could improve the overall sensitivity to identifying cancer in exposed breast tissue,” he said.
By Laurie Volkin and Richard S. Dargan, ASRT Contributing Writers
Terahertz Imaging May Reduce Unnecessary Breast Cancer Surgeries
April 25, 2006
A new imaging technique could help ensure complete removal of breast cancer tumors and reduce the need for repeat surgeries, according to a new study.
In breast cancer excision surgery, surgeons attempt to remove the entire tumor with an adequate margin of normal tissue, while minimizing the amount of healthy tissue being removed. Presence of tumor at or near the margins during laboratory analysis indicates a higher chance of cancer recurrence. A second operation is required to remove more tissue, involving additional hospital resources and increased risk of complications. Thus, there is a clinical need to accurately define the margins of the tumor during surgery.
In the study, researchers investigated the possibility of using terahertz imaging to examine excised breast tissue and determine if the removed tissue margins were clear of cancer. The terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum lies between the microwave and infrared regions, and terahertz radiation has a number of properties that make it a viable medical imaging technique.
For example, terahertz wavelengths are longer than infrared and optical radiation, so scattering in biologic tissue is small in comparison. Also, terahertz radiation is nonionizing, and the power levels used are many orders of magnitude lower than those in the recommended safety guidelines.
Researchers compared the size and shape of breast tumor regions from 22 women. All samples were first sliced and imaged with terahertz light, and then submitted for histopathologic analysis. Imaging took less than five minutes.
Terahertz light was able to reliably distinguish between normal breast tissue, tumor and even early-stage cancers in excised tissue samples. The shape of the tumor regions on terahertz images correlated well with that on a photomicrograph.
“Findings of this study demonstrate the potential of terahertz pulsed imaging to depict both invasive breast carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ under controlled conditions and encourage further studies to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the technique,” said Vincent P. Wallace, Ph.D., of TeraView in Cambridge, England, and colleagues. “This technology could aid the surgeon in immediately identifying residual cancer after the main tumor has been removed, thus minimizing the need for additional surgical procedures.” The study appeared in the May issue of Radiology.
Dr. Wallace noted that there are a number of imaging modalities and techniques being investigated as adjuncts to mammography to aid in the diagnosis of breast cancer or to guide biopsy, including infrared and optical imaging, thermography, electrical impedance, and magnetic resonance.
“Terahertz pulsed imaging provides information, which is complementary to these techniques, with use of a new region of the electromagnetic spectrum that could improve the overall sensitivity to identifying cancer in exposed breast tissue,” he said.
By Laurie Volkin and Richard S. Dargan, ASRT Contributing Writers
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