EM Probe Phase Shift Detection for Intraoperative Cancer Margin Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cancer detection methods, such as CT scans and MRI, are inadequate for providing real-time, dynamic information during surgery, particularly for assessing resection margins and detecting occult disease, which limits the effectiveness of cancer treatment.
Innovation Solution
An electromagnetic (EM) probe with a pair of coils that utilizes eddy currents and phase-sensitive detection to differentiate between healthy and abnormal tissue, employing sawtooth excitation and potentially molecular targeting agents for enhanced selectivity, allowing for intraoperative identification of cancer and assessment of surgical margins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pre-operative imaging techniques (CT, MRI, PET) are used for cancer detection, then the primary tumor can be detected, but the extent of metastasis and occult disease cannot be accurately assessed
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic probe performs preliminary detection of occult disease and metastasis extent during surgery before final resection decisions are made, allowing surgeons to adjust the surgical plan based on real-time findings about disease spread
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnetic probe acts as an intermediary tool between pre-operative imaging and post-operative pathology, providing real-time intraoperative information about tissue characteristics and metastasis that bridges the information gap
2Measurement precision
If frozen sections and post-operative pathological examination are used for margin assessment, then accurate detection is achieved, but real-time intraoperative information is not available
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic probe replaces the mechanical and time-consuming frozen section process with a non-contact, instantaneous electromagnetic measurement system that provides margin assessment results in real-time without requiring tissue removal or laboratory processing
Solution Approach 2:
The probe performs preliminary assessment of resection margins during surgery before the surgeon completes the resection, allowing immediate adjustment of the surgical plan based on margin status without waiting for post-operative pathology
3Illumination intensity
If conventional imaging modalities are used, then anatomical structure is visualized, but real-time dynamic information during surgery is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic probe replaces bulky, time-consuming imaging equipment with a handheld probe that provides instant tissue characterization through electromagnetic measurements, enabling rapid intraoperative decision-making without sacrificing visualization quality
Solution Approach 2:
The probe enables dynamic, real-time assessment of tissue properties during surgery rather than static pre-operative imaging, allowing the surgical plan to be adaptively adjusted based on actual intraoperative findings about disease extent and margin status
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
The EM probe consistently differentiates between cancerous and healthy tissue, providing real-time data that can improve surgical outcomes and reduce recurrence rates by enabling precise identification of tumors and evaluation of resection margins during surgery.
Implementation Method 1
imposing a time-varying current or voltage through the driver coil at a fixed frequency; measuring the alternating current or voltage produced in the receiver coil
Implementation Method 2
detect changes in inductive coupling due to eddy currents when different materials are brought into the probe's vicinity
Data Source
AI summary
Differences of electromagnetic (EM) properties between healthy and cancerous tissues allow detection of abnormal conditions occurring in a tissue of an animal, for example, intra-operative cancer detection. By using a time-varying EM field, electrical eddy currents are generated in the tissue sample, and assessed using phase-sensitive detection. In some aspects, a change in phase shift between the voltage in a receiver coil and the voltage in a driver coil provide a direct and immediate indication of differences in EM properties of specimens.