NIR Prostatoscopy Analyzer for 3D Tissue Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for prostate cancer screening, such as digital rectal examination (DRE), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), are limited by low accuracy, invasiveness, and poor spatial resolution, making early detection of prostate cancer challenging.
Innovation Solution
A near-infrared photonic prostatoscopy analyzer (NIRPPA) system using NIR light between 650 nm to 2400 nm, with a portable rectal scanning polarization imaging unit and optical fiber-based rectal probe, employs laser diodes/LEDs, polarizers, and CCD/CMOS cameras to detect 3D images and localize abnormal prostate tissue through differences in absorption and scattering properties, leveraging water, oxyhemoglobin, and deoxyhemoglobin as biomarkers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional screening methods (DRE, PSA, TRUS) are used, then prostate cancer can be detected, but the accuracy is limited and spatial resolution is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical examination methods (DRE, TRUS) with optical imaging technology. The NIRPPA system uses near-infrared light to penetrate prostate tissue and capture optical images, substituting mechanical probing and ultrasound waves with photons for detection, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from mechanical properties (touch, sound waves) to optical properties (light absorption, scattering). By utilizing the differential optical properties between cancerous and normal prostate tissues in the near-infrared spectrum, the system achieves higher detection accuracy through spectral analysis
2Reliability
If needle biopsy is performed, then cancer confirmation is obtained, but the procedure is invasive and may cause damage to the prostate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical imaging as an intermediary diagnostic tool between non-invasive screening and invasive biopsy. The NIRPPA system provides detailed visual information about prostate tissue characteristics, enabling more accurate targeting of biopsy sites and potentially reducing the need for extensive random sampling, thereby reducing prostate damage while maintaining diagnosis reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary optical imaging assessment before conducting needle biopsy. By first obtaining high-resolution 3D optical images that identify suspicious regions, the system enables targeted biopsy of only the most suspicious areas rather than random sampling, reducing the number of needle insertions and associated damage to healthy prostate tissue
3Area of stationary object
If transrectal ultrasound is used, then prostate imaging is obtained, but the spatial resolution and tissue contrast are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces ultrasound mechanical waves with near-infrared optical waves for prostate imaging. The NIRPPA system uses the longer wavelength of NIR light to achieve deeper tissue penetration while maintaining higher spatial resolution through optical sectioning capabilities, overcoming the diffraction limits and poor contrast inherent in ultrasound imaging
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from 2D ultrasound slices to 3D optical tomography. By capturing optical images at multiple depths and reconstructing them into three-dimensional representations of prostate tissue, the system provides comprehensive spatial coverage with superior resolution in all dimensions, enabling better visualization of tissue architecture and abnormal regions
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 NIRPPA system provides accurate, non-invasive, and high-resolution 3D imaging for early prostate cancer detection, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and reducing invasiveness compared to conventional methods, with potential applications in other organs like the rectum, colon, bladder, and esophagus.
Implementation Method 1
employing a laser beam to illuminate a prostate and a rectal optical probe to record scanning polarization images of the prostate using differences in absorption and scattering properties
Implementation Method 2
employing a laser beam to illuminate a prostate and a rectal optical probe to record scanning polarization images of the prostate using differences in absorption and scattering properties
Implementation Method 3
record scanning polarization images of the prostate
Data Source
AI summary
A rectal near infrared (NIR) scanning polarization imaging system uses NIR Photonic Prostatoscopy Analyzer (NIRPPA) for prostate cancer detection using light. The NIRPPA consists of a portable rectal NIR scanning polarization imaging unit and an optical fiber-based rectal probe capable of recording sets of 2D images of a prostate through rectum at different wavelengths and depths and obtaining a three dimensional (3D) image of the prostate and 3D locations of abnormal tissue inside the prostate. Diode lasers/light emission diodes (LEDs) with selected emitting wavelengths are used in the NIR spectral range from 650 nm to 2,400 nm corresponding to the four tissue optical windows (#I, 650 nm-950 nm; #II, 1,100 nm-1,350 nm; #III, 1,600 nm-1,870 nm; and #IV, 2,100 nm-2,300 nm). The fingerprint absorptions of water (H2O), Oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) in the prostate are used as native biomarkers for prostate cancer detection.