Diffuse Optical Probe for Breast Cancer Screening and Monitoring

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The proposed research program aims to improve breast cancer screening for early detection and effective treatment using low-cost, accessible technologies. This work aligns with the NSERC eligibility criteria for research aiming to develop or optimize a new diagnostic technology based on available data. Breast cancer is ranked as the second leading cause of cancer-related death in North America. Ultrasound, x-ray mammography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are commonly used for breast cancer detection, where X-ray mammography is the primary screening technique for breast cancer detection. Although X-ray mammography is the principal modality for breast cancer screening, it is not suitable for all women because it has low sensitivity (67.8%) for younger women or women with dense breasts. In addition, it has a potential health risk due to the effect of ionizing radiation. Diffuse optical spectroscopy is a relatively new, non-invasive, and nonionizing technique for breast cancer diagnosis. Over the past three decades, near-infrared (NIR) optical imaging, has been developed very rapidly as currently, NIR optical imaging approaches have been advanced for biological imaging and sensing. This technique is a non-invasive and promising method for compositional and functional imaging of extremely scattering mediums, such as the breast. This proposal represents an ongoing research program towards developing a proprietary handheld diffuse optical breast-scanning (DOB-Scan) probe to diagnose breast cancer at an early stage. Over the past ten years, we have designed and successfully tested four generations of the probe, representing a safe, non-invasive, portable, and cost-effective technology that gives detailed information about breast tissue's constituents, which are markers for healthy or cancerous tissues. At this stage, the DOB-scan probe has proven effective in its previous iterations at characterizing the optical absorption properties of various materials, including cancerous breast tissue, relative to healthy tissue, in clinical studies. However, there are limitations on this ability both due to the complexity of non-homogenous tissue and probe design itself-for example, the DOB-Scan experiences inaccuracies in the breast tissue's functional and compositional cross-sectional imaging. In addition, the model-based algorithms used are expensive computationally, prohibiting real-time application. We would incorporate a real-time imaging system, enhanced algorithms for image reconstruction, and easy-to-use hardware and software. Using optical phantoms and available clinical test results, we will build intelligence to provide the location and quantitative information on the type of breast tissue (normal, benign, or cancerous lesions or infections) with a higher degree of confidence. Addressing these issues would also enable us to extend the technology to other healthcare applications.