Detecting Breast Cancer via Light Images

As breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and cancer deaths among women worldwide, routine screenings can help diagnose the problem early and allow doctors to address the problem during a critical stage.

According to researchers at the University of Twente in the Nertherlands, they've developed a prototype of a new imaging tool that could help detect the problem early and when it may be most treatable.

The new technique uses infrared light that's delivered in billionth-of-a-second pulses to tissues that are scattered and then absorbed. High absorption of blood helps to increase the temperature of blood vessels slightly that can cause them to undergo a slight but rapid expansion. As the expansion generates via detectable ultrasound waves that are used to form a 3-D map of the breast vasculature, tumors can be distinguished more easily as more blood vessels typically surround them.

Background information from the study notes that the resolution of the images is not as fine as what can be obtained through existing breast imaging techniques, such as X-ray mammography and MRI. However, researchers expect to improve the resolution as well as add the capability to image using different wave lengths of light at once. This could help improve the detectability of various tumors.

The study authors also note that if the instrument were commercialized, it may likely cost less than an MRI and X-ray mammography.

"We feel that the cost could be brought down to be not much more expensive than an ultrasound machine when it goes to industry," said Wenfeng Xia, via a press release, a graduate student at the University of Twente who is the first author on the new paper.

The researchers are currently working to prepare larger clinical trials in order to more widely use the breast cancer screening and diagnosing tool before it can be more widely introduced.

More information regarding the study can be found via the journal Biomedical Optics Express.