Optical spectroscopy-based imaging techniques for the diagnosis of breast cancer: A novel approach

Abstract

There have been substantial advancements in optical spectroscopybased imaging techniques in recent years. These developments can potentially herald a transformational change in the diagnostic pathway for diseases such as cancer. In this paper, we review the clinical and engineering aspects of novel optical spectroscopy-based imaging tools. We provide a comprehensive analysis of optical and non-optical spectroscopy-based breast cancer diagnosis techniques vis-a-vis the current standard techniques such as X-Ray mammography, ultrasonography, and tissue biopsy. The recent advancements in optical spectroscopy-based imaging systems such as Transillumination Imaging (TI) and the various types of Diffuse Optical Imaging (DOI) systems (parallel-plate, bed-based, and handheld) are examined. The engineering aspects, including mechanical, electronics, optics, automatic interpretation using artificial intelligence (AI), and ergonomics are discussed. The abilities of these technologies for measuring several cancer biomarkers such as hemoglobin, water, lipid, collagen, oxygen saturation (SO2), and tissue oxygenation index (TOI) are investigated. This article critically assesses the diagnostic ability and practical deployment of these new technologies to differentiate between the normal and cancerous tissue.

Raman Microscopy: Progress in Research on Cancer Cell Sensing

“…Indeed, these imaging tools require cell destruction or selective tagging, thereby negating nonintrusive in vivo and in vitro studies. Fluorescence microscopy (FM), including immunofluorescence microscopy or super-resolution microscopies, exploit selective tagging of proteins/molecules via fluorescent markers to investigate and localize cancer progression in cells or tissues to analyze gene amplification and expression, the morphology of cells and protein localization and dynamics [ 12 ]. Therefore, these methods require the specific antibodies or other probes that selectively bind to the component of interest in a cell, and they could interfere with the investigation of the biochemical process itself [ 5 ].…”

Reconstructing a Deblurred 3D Structure in a Turbid Medium from a Single Blurred 2D Image—For Near-Infrared Transillumination Imaging of a Human Body

“…In addition, functional imaging is possible to visualize the physiological functions inside the body using the principle of spectroscopy [ 7 , 8 ]. Because of these merits, NIR-TI has been used in clinical practice [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. However, the image of a deep-seated structure is blurred severely because of strong light scattering in body tissues.…”

Field Effect Detection by Light Scattering in the Breast Cancer Risk Determination

“…This module acquires each signal at a sampling frequency of 333kHz, then, according to the Nyquist frequency, the maximum acquisition frequency will be approximately 166 KHz. All data are stored on the computer where they are processed (4).…”

“…3 Other technologies such as nuclear magnetic resonance, ultrasound, transillumination, and diffuse optical detect breast anomalies by imaging, but some of them require the maintenance of equipment and supplies at a high cost. 4 Similarly to the Papanicolau test, which has been used successfully to detect cervical cancer, 5 a technique applicable to early detection of breast cancer is desirable. New promising methods for early detection of cancer include partial-wave spectroscopy (PWS) analysis of the spectra of partial waves propagating within a weakly disordered medium such as biological cells.…”