ARKANSAS: Experts gain funding for imaging alternative used to help assess breast cancer surgery outcomes
There’s a new imaging technique that can help clinicians better assess breast cancer, and researchers recently received a grant to help further enhance its capabilities. Terahertz imaging utilizes electromagnetic radiation technology to produce highly detailed images of biological tissue. In many cases, it outperforms X-ray and CT at showing if surgeons removed all cancerous breast tissue during lumpectomy.
Magda El-Shenawee, PhD, an electrical engineering professor at the University of ARKANSAS, recently won a $424,000 NIH grant from the NIH to assess and enhance this technique.
“Our preclinical models showed strong differentiation between cancerous and fatty tissues,” said El-Shenawee, adding “the more clinically relevant differentiation between cancerous and healthy, nonfatty tissue remains challenging. To build upon the successes of our previous work and improve the sensitivity of terahertz imaging to detect cancer at the surgical margins, we have identified areas where we can make significant improvements.”
Using the funds, El-Shenawee and her research team plan to revamp terahertz imaging. That involves a more sensitive approach incorporating additional spatial and spectral details about tumor tissue.