Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging for Breast Cancer Detection

Abstract

New screening tools are needed for women for whom x ray mammography is not suitable. We present a new and novel modality called "fluorescence lifetime imaging" as a potential tool for breast cancer detection and diagnosis. In this technique, the contrast for the diseased tissue is provided by a change in lifetime of fluorescent contrast agents such as porphyrins or some of the newly synthesized lifetime sensitive dyes. Our study involves experimental and computational approaches to explore the technical feasibility of this technique. Experimental studies are planned which include frequency domain measurements of the fluorescent light in a multiple detector - multiple source arrangement. Measurements will be performed for analyte sensitive dyes in heterogeneous tissue phantoms. These measurements will be used as inputs to a developed inverse imaging algorithm to obtain an image of lifetime. Since probe or dye lifetimes are sensitive to biochemical environment, diagnostic information is also obtained in addition to detection of disease. Preliminary computational and experimental results are promising and suggest a new imaging modality with specificity for breast disease.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1997
Accession Number
ADB231769

Entities

People

  • Eva M. Muraca

Organizations

  • Purdue Research Foundation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Breast Cancer
  • Computational Science
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Fluorescence
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Domain
  • Helmholtz Equations
  • Imaging Techniques
  • Measurement
  • Optical Properties
  • Optics
  • Tomography
  • Two Dimensional
  • X-Ray Computed Tomography

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Chemistry (specifically Chemical Fluorescence)
  • Image Processing and Computer Vision.
  • Oncology and Biomarker-Based Cancer Detection.