title: Automated classification of breast pathology using local measures of broadband reflectance.
abstract: We demonstrate that morphological features pertinent to a tissue's pathology may be ascertained from localized measures of broadband reflectance, with a mesoscopic resolution (100-μm lateral spot size) that permits scanning of an entire margin for residual disease. The technical aspects and optimization of a k-nearest neighbor classifier for automated diagnosis of pathologies are presented, and its efficacy is validated in 29 breast tissue specimens. When discriminating between benign and malignant pathologies, a sensitivity and specificity of 91 and 77% was achieved. Furthermore, detailed subtissue-type analysis was performed to consider how diverse pathologies influence scattering response and overall classification efficacy. The increased sensitivity of this technique may render it useful to guide the surgeon or pathologist where to sample pathology for microscopic assessment.
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth College, Thayer School of Engineering, Hanover, NH 03755, USA. ashley.laughney@dartmouth.edu
authors.forename: Ashley M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Laughney
authors.forename: Venkataramanan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krishnaswamy
authors.forename: Pilar Beatriz
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Garcia-Allende
authors.forename: Olga M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Conde
authors.forename: Wendy A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Paulsen
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Pogue
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D010783:Photometry / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity