Skin Cancer Detection using Polarized Light Spectroscopic Methods

描述（由申请人提供）：根据最近世界卫生组织（WHO）的报告，估计每年有160,000人患上黑色素瘤，这是最危险的皮肤癌形式，全世界每年有多达48,000人死于某种形式的皮肤病。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在未来几十年内只会增加，因此本应用程序的目的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而积极的影响，这是本提案的主题。本应用的中心假设是，单散射、偏振光光谱方法与多散射、非偏振光光谱相结合，为快速无创诊断皮肤癌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（PLS）原型实验室系统产生的强有力的初步数据而制定的。提出的研究的基本原理是MSLS/PLS技术的组合可以用来准确地反映特定病变皮肤层的形态。MSLS利用光传播对皮肤的多层结构进行数学建模，而PLS在物理上（而不是数学上）区分多层组织。该系统在一项试点临床研究中获得了高度准确的皮肤癌检测结果，特异性为91%，而单独使用PLS和MSLS方法的特异性为80%和82%。因此，拟议的研究是国家卫生研究院使命的基本部分，涉及到开发新的系统，以减少疾病的负担。在强有力的初步数据的指导下，这一假设将通过追求四个具体目标来检验。这包括：1)开发一种结合单/多散射光测量的光谱系统；2)基于更精确的Hb/HbO2计算模型、非球形颗粒散射模型和多模态粒度分布模型，实现重构算法，改进参数提取；3)通过仿真实验和人体受试者对系统进行测试；4)利用组织形态学技术将光学特征与病理生理参数相关联，开发皮肤癌诊断算法。该方法具有创新性，因为它利用了单散射和多散射光谱学方法来诊断皮肤癌。该研究具有重要意义，因为它有望通过改进特征提取算法和增强分类软件来推进一种新的皮肤癌检测光谱方法。这项研究有望通过最大限度地提高治愈率，减少和避免活检，为早期皮肤癌的筛查和发现做出重大贡献。

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.