Hybrid spectral-IRDx: near-IR and ultrasound attenuation system for differentiating breast cancer from adjacent normal tissue

Abstract

Objective: While performing surgical excision for breast cancer (lumpectomy), it is important to ensure a clear margin of normal tissue around the cancer to achieve complete resection. The current standard is histopathology; however, it is time-consuming and labour-intensive requiring skilled personnel. Method: We describe a Hybrid Spectral-IRDx - a combination of the previously reported Spectral-IRDx tool with multimodal ultrasound and NIR spectroscopy techniques. We show how this portable, cost-effective, minimal-contact tool could provide rapid diagnosis of cancer using formalin-fixed (FF) and deparaffinized (DP) breast biopsy tissues. Results: Using this new tool, measurements were performed on cancerous/fibroadenoma and its adjacent normal tissues from the same patients (N=14). The acoustic attenuation coefficient () and reduced scattering coefficient (s) (at 850, 940, and 1060 nm) for the cancerous/fibroadenoma tissues were reported to be higher compared to adjacent normal tissues, a basis of delineation. Comparing FF cancerous and adjacent normal tissue, the difference in s at 850 nm and 940 nm were statistically significant (p=3.17e-2 and 7.94e-3 respectively). The difference in between the cancerous and adjacent normal tissues for DP and FF tissues were also statistically significant (p=2.85e-2 and 7.94e-3 respectively). Combining multimodal parameters and s (at 940 nm) show highest statistical significance (p=6.72e-4) between FF cancerous/fibroadenoma and adjacent normal tissues. Conclusion: We show that Hybrid Spectral-IRDx can accurately delineate between cancerous and adjacent normal breast biopsy tissue. Significance: The results obtained establish the proof-of-principle and large-scale testing of this multimodal breast cancer diagnostic platform for core biopsy diagnosis.