Phase-contrast diffuse optical tomography pilot results in the breast.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to investigate the utility of phase-contrast diffuse optical tomography (PCDOT) for differentiation of malignant and benign breast masses in humans and to compare PCDOT with conventional diffuse optical tomography (DOT) for analysis of breast masses in humans.


METHODS
Thirty-five breast masses were imaged in 33 patients (mean age, 51 years; range, 22-80) using PCDOT. Images characterizing the tissue refractive index, and absorption and scattering coefficients of breast masses were obtained with a finite element-based reconstruction algorithm. Theses images were then analyzed and compared with the biopsy/pathology results for all the cases examined.


RESULTS
Malignant lesions tended to have a decreased refractive index, allowing them to be discriminated from benign lesions in most cases, whereas absorption and scattering images were unable to accurately discriminate benign from malignant lesions. The sensitivity, specificity, false-positive value, and overall accuracy for refractive index imaging were 81.8%, 70.8%, 29.2%, and 74.3%, respectively. The accuracy of refractive index imaging increases with increasing patient age.


CONCLUSIONS
Refractive index is a new parameter for optical imaging that may be helpful in differentiating between malignant and benign masses in the breast.
J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, 130 BME Building/PO Box 116131, Gainesville, FL 32611.
Xiaoping
X
Liang
Qizhi
Q
Zhang
Changqing
C
Li
Stephen R
SR
Grobmyer
Laurie L
LL
Fajardo
Huabei
H
Jiang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041622:Tomography, Optical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*