Confocal Imaging for Intra-operative Tumor Margin Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical technologies lack a reliable means to guide the resection of solid tumors, leading to incomplete removal and subsequent reoperation, which increases treatment costs and patient stress, due to the inability to precisely define tumor margins during surgery.
Innovation Solution
A confocal imaging device is integrated into the operating theater to analyze fresh tissue samples without fixation, enabling real-time intra-operative digital pathology, allowing for precise scanning of tissue margins and immediate feedback to surgeons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If intra-operative frozen-section analysis is performed, then tumor margin assessment capability is improved, but operation time is prolonged by at least 30 minutes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tissue sample analysis function from the traditional frozen-section analysis process and implements it using confocal microscopy imaging of fresh tissue sections. This allows real-time imaging without the time-consuming freezing and sectioning steps, thereby maintaining measurement precision while significantly reducing the time required for tumor margin assessment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical freezing and sectioning system with an optical imaging system (confocal microscopy). Instead of physically freezing and cutting tissue sections, the system uses optical sections and confocal imaging to achieve real-time tumor margin assessment, eliminating the 30-minute delay associated with traditional frozen-section analysis
2Loss of time
If traditional frozen-section analysis is used, then real-time pathology assessment is achieved, but sample quality is inferior due to freezing artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical freezing process with optical imaging of fresh tissue. By using confocal microscopy on fresh, unfrozen tissue sections, the system maintains superior sample quality without freezing artifacts while still achieving real-time pathology assessment capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the tissue from frozen to fresh. By imaging fresh tissue sections instead of frozen sections, the system eliminates freezing artifacts and maintains superior sample quality while achieving real-time assessment through rapid optical imaging
3Reliability
If frozen-section analysis is performed, then intra-operative pathology assessment is enabled, but treatment costs roughly double due to reoperations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of tumor margin assessment from the complex frozen-section analysis process and implements it through simplified confocal microscopy imaging. This maintains reliable pathology assessment while preventing the need for costly reoperations by providing accurate real-time feedback during surgery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements real-time feedback during surgery through immediate confocal imaging of fresh tissue sections. The system provides instantaneous pathology assessment results that guide surgical resection decisions, ensuring complete tumor removal and eliminating the need for expensive follow-up reoperations
4Productivity
If confocal imaging of fresh tissue is used, then sample preparation time is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical tissue processing systems (freezing, sectioning, staining equipment) with an optical confocal microscopy system. This substitution simplifies the overall workflow by eliminating multiple mechanical steps while maintaining high productivity through rapid optical imaging of fresh tissue sections
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the time required for sample preparation and analysis, enables precise tumor margin assessment, and minimizes the need for follow-up surgeries, thereby improving surgical efficiency and reducing treatment costs and patient stress.
Implementation Method 1
a confocal imaging device that can analyze, in the operating theatre, 'optical slices' of fresh tissue
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed technology brings histopathology into the operating theatre, to enable real-time intra-operative digital pathology. The disclosed technology utilizes confocal imaging devices image, in the operating theatre, “optical slices” of fresh tissue—without the need to physically slice and otherwise process the resected tissue as required by frozen section analysis (FSA). The disclosed technology, in certain embodiments, includes a simple, operating-table-side digital histology scanner, with the capability of rapidly scanning all outer margins of a tissue sample (e.g., resection lump, removed tissue mass). Using point-scanning microscopy technology, the disclosed technology, in certain embodiments, precisely scans a thin “optical section” of the resected tissue, and sends the digital image to a pathologist rather than the real tissue, thereby providing the pathologist with the opportunity to analyze the tissue intra-operatively. Thus, the disclosed technology provides digital images with similar information content as FSA, but faster and without destroying the tissue sample itself.