Yngvesson Sigfrid K, St Peter Benjamin, Siqueira Paul, Kelly Patrick, Glick Stephen, Karellas Andrew, Khan Ashraf
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 100 Natural Resources Road, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 USA.
Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605.
Proc SPIE Int Soc Opt Eng. 2012 Feb 9;8221:82210N-. doi: 10.1117/12.907075.
In breast conservation surgery, surgeons attempt to remove malignant tissue along with a surrounding margin of healthy tissue. Subsequent pathological analysis determines if those margins are clear of malignant tissue, a process that typically requires at least one day. Only then can it be determined whether a follow-up surgery is necessary. This possibility of re-excision is undesirable in terms of reducing patient morbidity, emotional stress and healthcare. It has been shown that terahertz (THz) images of breast specimens can accurately differentiate between breast carcinoma, normal fibroglandular tissue, and adipose tissue. That study employed the Time-Domain Spectroscopy (TDS) technique. We are instead developing a new technique, Frequency-Domain Terahertz Imaging (FDTI). In this joint project between UMass/Amherst and UMass Medical School/Worcester (UMMS), we are investigating the feasibility of the FDTI technique for THz reflection imaging of breast cancer margins. Our system, which produces mechanically scanned images of size 2cm × 2cm, uses a THz gas laser. The system is calibrated with mixtures of water and ethanol and reflection coefficients as low as 1% have been measured. Images from phantoms and specimens cut from breast cancer lumpectomies at UMMS will be presented. Finally, there will be a discussion of a possible transition of this FDTI setup to a compact and inexpensive CMOS THz camera for use in the operating room.
在保乳手术中，外科医生试图切除恶性组织以及周围的健康组织边缘。随后的病理分析确定这些边缘是否没有恶性组织，这一过程通常至少需要一天时间。只有到那时才能确定是否需要进行后续手术。就降低患者发病率、减轻情绪压力和减少医疗保健负担而言，这种再次切除的可能性是不理想的。研究表明，乳腺标本的太赫兹（THz）图像能够准确区分乳腺癌、正常纤维腺组织和脂肪组织。该研究采用了时域光谱（TDS）技术。相反，我们正在开发一种新技术，即频域太赫兹成像（FDTI）。在马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校和马萨诸塞大学医学院伍斯特分校（UMMS）的这个联合项目中，我们正在研究FDTI技术用于乳腺癌边缘太赫兹反射成像的可行性。我们的系统使用太赫兹气体激光器，能生成尺寸为2厘米×2厘米的机械扫描图像。该系统用水和乙醇的混合物进行校准，已测量到低至1%的反射系数。将展示来自UMMS乳腺癌肿块切除术中的模型和标本的图像。最后，将讨论这种FDTI装置向一种紧凑且廉价的用于手术室的CMOS太赫兹相机的可能转变。
