Multispectral reflectance enhancement for breast cancer visualization in the operating room

Abstract

A color enhancement method to optimize the visualization of breast tumors in cancer pathology is proposed. Light scattering measurements are minimally invasive, and allow the estimation of tissue morphology and composition to guide the surgeon in resection surgeries. The usability of scatter and absorption signatures acquired with a microsampling reflectance spectral imaging system was improved employing an empirical approximation to the Mie theory to estimate the scattering power on a per-pixel basis. The proposed methodology generates a new image with blended color and diagnostic purposes coming from the emphasis or highlighting of specific wavelengths or features. These features can be the specific absorbent tissue components (oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin, etc.), additional parameters as scattering power or amplitude or even the combination of both. The goal is to obtain an improved and inherent tissue contrast working only with the local reflectance of tissue. To this aim, it is provided a visual interpretation of what is considered non-malignant (normal epithelia and stroma, benign epithelia and stroma, inflammation), malignant (DCIS, IDC, ILC) and adipose tissue. Consequently, a fast visualization map of the intracavity area can be offered to the surgeon providing relevant diagnostic information. No labeling or extrinsic indicators are required for proposed methodology and therefore the possibility of transferring absorption and scattering features simultaneously into visualization, fusing their effects into a single image, can guide surgeons efficiently.