Spatially offset raman spectroscopy of layered soft tissues and applications of same
AssigneeVanderbilt University
InventorsAnita M. Mahadevan-Jansen, Matthew D. Keller, Mark C. Kelley
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Abstract
The present invention in one aspect relates to a method for surgical margin evaluation of tissues during breast conserving therapy at a surgical site of interest. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of acquiring a plurality of spatially offset Raman spectra from the surgical site of interest, identifying tissue signatures from the plurality of spatially offset Raman spectra, and determining surgical margins of the surgical site from the identified tissue signatures.
Claims50
A method for surgical margin evaluation of tissues at a surgical site of interest, comprising the steps of:
- (a) acquiring a plurality of spatially offset Raman spectra from the surgical site;
- (b) identifying tissue signatures from the plurality of spatially offset Raman spectra;
- and
- (c) determining surgical margin status of the surgical site from the identified tissue signatures.
A system for surgical margin evaluation of tissues at a surgical site of interest, comprising:
- (a) a light source for emitting a coherent light;
- (b) a probe having a working end, coupled with the light source and for delivering the coherent light to the surgical site to illuminate at least one first spot proximal to the working end, and collecting from the working end Raman scattering light scattered from the surgical site at a plurality of second spots, respectively, in response to illumination by the coherent light, wherein each second spot is apart from the at least one first spot so as to define a source-detection (S-D) offset distance between the at least one first spot illuminated with the light and the second spot from which the Raman scattering light is collected;
- (c) a detector coupled with the probe for obtaining the plurality of spatially offset Raman spectra from the collected Raman scattering light, wherein each spatially offset Raman spectrum is corresponding to a respective second spot of the surgical site, and associated with a depth of the tissues at which the Raman light is scattered;
- and
- (d) a processor coupled with the detector and programmed to identify tissue signatures from the plurality of spatially offset Raman spectra;
- and determine surgical margins of the surgical site from the identified tissue signatures.
A method for discriminating soft biological tissues, comprising the steps of:
- (a) illuminating soft biological tissues at least one first spot with light;
- (b) collecting Raman scattering light scattered from the soft biological tissues at least second spot in response to illumination by the light, wherein the at least second spot is away from the at least one first spot so as to define a source-detection (S-D) offset distance therebetween;
- (c) obtaining a spatially offset Raman spectrum from the collected light, wherein the spatially offset Raman spectrum is associated with a depth of the soft biological tissues at which the Raman light is scattered;
- (d) identifying tissue signatures from the spatially offset Raman spectrum;
- and
- (e) determining whether the soft biological tissues have a layered structure from the tissue signatures from the spectrum.
A system for discriminating layered soft biological tissues, comprising:
- (a) means for illuminating soft biological tissues at least one first spot with light;
- (b) means for collecting Raman scattering light scattered from the soft biological tissues at least second spot in response to illumination by the light, wherein the at least second spot is away from the at least one first spot so as to define a source-detection (S-D) offset distance therebetween;
- (c) means for obtaining a spatially offset Raman spectrum from the collected light, wherein the spatially offset Raman spectrum is associated with a depth of the soft biological tissues at which the Raman light is scattered;
- and
- (d) means for identifying tissue signatures from the spatially offset Raman spectrum, and determining whether the soft biological tissues have a layered structure from the tissue signatures from the spectrum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.