Scientists have built a powerful and compact imaging system that can quickly and accurately tell the difference between cancerous and healthy tissue.
This new tool could help doctors find cancer earlier and bring advanced testing out of research labs and into hospitals and clinics.
The new system is based on a special type of light-based technique called Raman imaging. It works by detecting very faint signals from nanoparticles designed to attach to cancer cells.
These nanoparticles are engineered to give off a unique signal when scanned by the machine. Once they are applied to a tissue sample or to the area being tested, the device highlights parts of the body that may contain cancer.
Traditional methods for diagnosing cancer involve staining tissue samples and having pathologists look at them under a microscope.
This process takes time and can be labor-intensive. According to Zhen Qiu, the lead researcher from Michigan State University, the new system is not meant to replace pathologists but could help as a quick screening tool to speed up the diagnosis process.
The system is described in the journal Optica, and the results show that it can detect cancer signals that are four times weaker than those picked up by current commercial machines.
This improvement is made possible by using a special kind of laser and an extremely sensitive light detector called a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD). This setup makes it easier to detect faint signals while keeping background noise low.
Qiu’s lab specializes in using these advanced detectors to improve imaging tools. SNSPDs work by using very thin wires that are so cold they can detect individual particles of light. This allows the system to work faster and pick up weaker signals than other devices.
In this project, the researchers combined the SNSPD with a laser that can change wavelengths during scanning. This setup replaces bulky parts used in other machines and makes the system smaller and more efficient. The fiber-based design also means the device could eventually be made small enough for use in surgery rooms or mobile clinics.
To test their system, the researchers used nanoparticles coated with a substance that sticks to a protein called CD44, which is often found on the surface of tumor cells. They first tested the system on simple solutions, then on breast cancer cells grown in the lab, on tumors in mice, and on healthy tissue samples.
The results showed that cancer tissue gave off a strong signal while healthy tissue showed very little. This proves the system can clearly tell cancer apart from healthy cells.
What’s more, the system could be adapted to detect different kinds of cancer. By changing the coating on the nanoparticles, researchers could target other markers found on different tumor types.
Before this technology can be used in hospitals, more testing is needed. The research team is now working on making the system faster and testing it on more types of cancer. They are also planning to add new features so that the device can scan for multiple cancer markers at once.
In the future, this compact imaging system could make it easier to find cancer earlier, improve the accuracy of biopsies, and allow for better monitoring of disease—all while making the process less invasive for patients.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that artificial sweeteners are linked to higher cancer risk, and how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and results showing vitamin D supplements strongly reduces cancer death.
The study is published in Optica.
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