Visible to near-infrared refractive properties of freshly-excised human-liver tissues: marking hepatic malignancies.
The refractive index is an optical constant that plays a significant role in the description of light-matter interactions. When it comes to biological media, refraction is understudied despite recent advances in the field of bio-optics. In the present article, we report on the measurement of the refractive properties of freshly excised healthy and cancerous human liver samples, by use of a prism-coupling technique covering the visible and near-infrared spectral range. Novel data on the wavelength-dependent complex refractive index of human liver tissues are presented. The magnitude of the real and imaginary part of the refractive index is correlated with hepatic pathology. Notably, the real index contrast is pointed out as a marker of discrimination between normal liver tissue and hepatic metastases. In view of the current progress in optical biosensor technologies, our findings may be exploited for the development of novel surgical and endoscopic tools.
Laboratory of Electronic Devices and Materials, Department of Electronic Engineering, Technological Educational Institution of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Panagiotis
P
Giannios
First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippocration Hospital, Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Konstantinos G
KG
Toutouzas
First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippocration Hospital, Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Maria
M
Matiatou
First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippocration Hospital, Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Konstantinos
K
Stasinos
First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippocration Hospital, Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Manousos M
MM
Konstadoulakis
First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippocration Hospital, Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
George C
GC
Zografos
Laboratory of Electronic Devices and Materials, Department of Electronic Engineering, Technological Educational Institution of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Konstantinos
K
Moutzouris
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D004724:Endoscopy; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor