Differentiation between normal tissue and malignant tissue with light spectrum analysis.

Important steps in the diagnostic work-up of malignant disease are describing the anatomical extent and histological origin of a tumor. Samples of suspected tissue are generally acquired by cytological or histological biopsy. Delay of diagnosis, and thus of subsequent initiation of therapy, is generally due to indeterminate result of cytological or histological biopsy. Successful biopsy accuracy ranges from 68% to 92%.

In recent years promising advances in cancer treatment imaging have been made with optical spectroscopy. By illuminating specific tissue with a selected light spectrum and subsequent analysis of the characteristic scattering, absorption and luminescence patterns, it is possible to obtain a 'chemical fingerprint' of the tissue. Because each tissue has specific variations in composition, it is possible to discriminate between tissues or more specifically discriminate between benign and malignant disease. This novel analysis technique has been proven to be more sensitive than conventional imaging techniques. Incorporation of optical spectroscopy into current diagnostic or therapeutic tools, e.g. in a biopsy needle, could improve invasive procedure localisation, thus improve procedure accuracy and outcome.

We have developed an optical spectroscopy system for measurement of tissue characteristics. In recent research of ex vivo human tissue discrimination between benign and malignant tissue was demonstrated with sensitivity and specificity of >94%.

With this study we aim to confirm the results from ex vivo research in vivo in a clinical setting.

The aim to prove that our optical spectroscopy system can provide accurate information on tissue diagnosis in these three specific tissue types. Optical spectroscopy measurement of normal tissue (including benign tumours) and malignant tissue lesions will be compared to standard histopathological analysis, as golden standard.

Results will be evaluated after inclusion of all 83 patients.

Optical spectroscopy measurements of both normal tissue of breast, lung and liver and malignant lesions in these organs, in-vivo during surgical procedures. Measurements will be performed with optical needle in tissue before resection. Measurements locations will be marked for histopathology analysis and comparison.