Skin Cancer Detection using Polarized Light Spectroscopic Methods

描述(申请人提供)：根据世界卫生组织(WHO)最近的报告，估计每年有16万人患上黑色素瘤，这是皮肤癌最危险的形式，全球每年有多达4.8万人死于某种皮肤病。因此，迫切需要制定改进的诊断程序，以减少这些死亡。由于如此大量的病例预计只会在未来几十年内增加，因此这项应用的目标是开发一种改进的皮肤癌诊断系统，该系统可以对这一人群产生重大和积极的影响，这是本提案的主题。这一应用的中心假设是，单次散射、偏振光光谱方法与多次散射、非偏振光光谱方法相结合，为皮肤癌的快速非侵入性诊断提供了前所未有的组织功能信息和细胞结构。这一假设是基于我们的多重散射光谱学(MSLS)/偏振光光谱学(PLS)联合实验室系统产生的强大初步数据提出的。这项拟议研究的基本原理是，MSLS/PLS技术的组合可以用来准确地反映特定皮肤病层的形态。MSLS使用光传播对皮肤的多层结构进行数学建模，而偏最小二乘法在物理上(而不是数学上)区分多层组织。在一项初步的临床研究中，该系统在皮肤癌检测中获得了高精度的结果，提供了91%的特异度，相对于分别使用偏最小二乘法和最小二乘法所提供的80%和82%的特异度。因此，拟议的研究对NIH任务的基本部分至关重要，该任务与开发新系统以减少疾病负担有关。在强劲的初步数据的指导下，这一假说将通过追求四个具体目标来检验。这些工作包括：1)开发结合单次/多次散射光测量的光学光谱系统；2)实施重建算法，以改进基于更精确的HB/HBO2计算模型、非球形粒子散射模型和多峰粒子尺寸分布模型的参数提取；3)使用模拟实验和人体实验对系统进行测试；4)利用组织形态计量学技术，通过将光学信号与病理生理参数相关联来开发皮肤癌诊断算法。这种方法是创新的，因为它利用了单散射和多散射光光谱相结合的方法来诊断皮肤癌。这项研究具有重要意义，因为它有望通过改进特征提取算法和增强分类软件来推动一种新的皮肤癌光谱检测方法。这项研究有望最大限度地提高治愈率，减少和避免活检，从而对皮肤癌的早期筛查和检测做出重大贡献。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): An estimated 160,000 people each year develop melanomas, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, and as many as 48,000 die worldwide every year from some form of skin disease according to the recent World Health Organization (WHO) report. As such, there is a critical need to develop improved diagnostic procedures to reduce these deaths. Because such large numbers of cases are only expected to increase over the next few decades, the object of this application is to develop an improved skin cancer diagnostic system that can have a significant and positive impact on this population, which is the subject of this proposal. The central hypothesis of this application is that single-scattered, polarized light spectroscopic methods combined with multiple-scattered, unpolarized light spectroscopy provide unprecedented tissue functional information and cellular structures for rapid noninvasive diagnosis of the skin cancer. This hypothesis has been formulated on the basis of strong preliminary data produced with our combined Multiple Scattered Light Spectroscopy (MSLS)/Polarized Light Spectroscopy (PLS) prototype laboratory system. The rationale for the proposed research is that a combination of MSLS/PLS technology can be used to accurately reflect morphologies in specific diseased layers of skin. MSLS mathematically models the multilayered structure of the skin using light propagation, whereas PLS physically (not mathematically) discriminates between multiple layers of tissue. This proposed system, achieved highly accurate results for skin cancer detection in a pilot clinical study, providing a specificity of 91%, relative to a specificity of 80% and 82% provided by using PLS and MSLS methods individually. Thus the proposed research is fundamental to the essential part of NIH's mission that pertains to the development new systems to reduce the burden of disease. Guided by strong preliminary data, this hypothesis will be tested by pursuing four specific aims. These involve: 1) Developing an optical spectroscopic system combining single/multiple-scattered light measurements; 2) Implementing reconstruction algorithms to improve parameter extractions based on more accurate Hb/HbO2 calculation models, non-spherical particle scattering models and multi-modal particle size distribution models; 3) Testing the system using simulation experiments, and human subjects; 4) Developing algorithms for skin cancer diagnosis by correlating optical signatures with the pathophysiologic parameters using histomorphometric techniques. The approach is innovative because it utilizes the combined single and multiple-scattered light spectroscopic methods for skin cancer diagnosis. The proposed research is significant, because it is expected to advance a novel spectroscopic method for skin cancer detection by focusing on improving feature extraction algorithms and enhancing classification software. This research is expected to significantly contribute to the early skin cancer screening and detection by maximizing cure rates and reducing and avoiding biopsies.