Virtual biopsy
A group of researchers from Rutgers University, New Jersey, used sound waves and infrared radiation and developed a new device for "virtual biopsy", which is able to quickly and non-invasively determine the depth of skin lesions and the potential malignancy of the neoplasm.
The ability to analyze the morphology of the tumor without violating the integrity of the skin will help to avoid the biopsy procedure for patients who are not shown it. Currently, doctors who take material for biopsy often do not know what the degree of skin damage is and whether the patient will need to be referred to an oncosurgeon for massive tissue removal or whether it will be limited to plastic surgery.
The first-of-its-kind experimental procedure, called vibrational optical coherence tomography (VOCT), creates a three-dimensional map of the width and depth of germination of a skin neoplasm using a thin laser diode. It also uses sound waves to assess the density and hardness of the lesion, since cancer cells are denser than healthy ones. A probe a couple of centimeters long produces sound waves and determines whether the neoplasm is malignant by the response vibration of the skin.
The VOCT analysis procedure can be performed in 15 minutes without discomfort for the patient, the device emits only a barely audible sound. This is a significant advance compared to surgical biopsy – invasive, expensive and time-consuming.
The study showed that the prototype VOCT device, which is awaiting FDA approval for large-scale testing, is able to accurately distinguish between healthy skin and various types of skin lesions, up to carcinoma. The researchers tested VOCT for more than six months on four skin samples and eight healthy volunteers. Further research is needed to help fine-tune the device's ability to identify lesion boundaries and identify areas of greatest density and stiffness. This will allow doctors and patients to avoid additional interventions, and tumors will be excised using minimally invasive surgery.
Article by F. H. Silver et al. The comparative “virtual biopsies" of normal skin and skin lesions using vibrational optical coherence tomography is published in the journal Skin Research and Technology.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru Based on Rutgers Today: Rutgers Scientist Creates "Virtual Biopsy" Device to Detect Skin Tumors.