Volumetric Image Guidance for Tissue Sectioning Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing tumors or undesirable tissues during surgical interventions often result in the removal of excessive healthy tissue, leading to incomplete tumor removal and potential relapse, due to the subjective and inaccurate techniques used by pathologists for sectioning tissue samples.
Innovation Solution
The use of volumetric density information, such as from micro-CT or MRI imaging, to guide the sectioning of tissue samples, allowing for precise localization and alignment of sectioning tools to ensure complete removal of tumors while minimizing healthy tissue removal, through methods like projecting visual patterns onto the sample or using head-mounted displays for augmented reality guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If subjective and inaccurate techniques are used by pathologists for sectioning tissue samples, then the process is simple and quick, but the accuracy of tumor removal is poor leading to excessive healthy tissue removal
Solution Approach 1:
Volumetric imaging (micro-CT or MRI) is performed on the tissue sample before sectioning to create a three-dimensional representation showing the precise location, shape, and extent of the tumor. This preliminary action allows the pathologist to plan sectioning paths that will capture the tumor and margins without removing excessive healthy tissue, thereby improving measurement precision before the actual sectioning begins.
Solution Approach 2:
A computer system acts as an intermediary between the volumetric imaging data and the sectioning process. The system receives the three-dimensional tumor location data, processes it to determine optimal sectioning paths and planes, and provides guidance to the pathologist. This intermediary translates complex imaging data into actionable sectioning instructions, improving accuracy while managing complexity through automation.
2Measurement precision
If volumetric density information is used to guide sectioning, then the accuracy of tumor localization is improved, but the time and complexity of the process increases
Solution Approach 1:
Volumetric imaging is performed as a preliminary step before sectioning, creating a three-dimensional map of the tumor location and extent. This advance preparation allows for precise localization without adding significant time during the actual sectioning process, as the planning is completed beforehand.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual, subjective assessment of tissue samples by pathologists is replaced with objective, computer-processed volumetric imaging data. The computer system automatically processes the imaging data to determine optimal sectioning paths, replacing the time-consuming subjective analysis with automated image processing algorithms that can quickly identify tumor boundaries and suggest sectioning planes.
3Reliability
If more sections are taken from the tissue sample to ensure complete tumor removal, then the completeness of analysis is improved, but the amount of healthy tissue removed increases
Solution Approach 1:
Volumetric imaging is performed before sectioning to create a three-dimensional representation of the tumor's location, shape, and extent. This preliminary visualization allows the pathologist to plan sectioning paths that will capture the tumor and its margins with minimal sections, avoiding the need to take multiple sections that would remove excessive healthy tissue. The pre-planning ensures completeness of tumor removal verification while minimizing healthy tissue loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The sectioning process is optimized to focus specifically on regions containing the tumor and its margins, rather than uniformly sectioning the entire tissue sample. By using volumetric imaging data to identify the precise location and extent of the tumor, the pathologist can concentrate sectioning efforts on critical areas, ensuring complete tumor removal verification while preserving healthy tissue in non-critical regions.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are provided for improved analysis of surgically explanted pathology samples or other varieties of tissue sample by guiding the sectioning of those samples using high-resolution volumetric imaging data. Such imaging data can include micro-CT imaging data. Improved sample imaging and visualization methods facilitate pathological analysis of the sample, guiding the sectioning of the sample to planes most likely to provide highly valuable and accurate data about sample margins relative to tumors or other target structures, tissue type cell morphology or other properties of a tumor or other target structure, or other clinically relevant data that could be missed were the tissue sample not sectioned along such image-guided plane(s). A projector or augmented-reality device can be used to indicate, to a pathologist, the location of structures of interest within the sample and/or the location of a sectioning gig could be detected/controlled relative to a display of the imaging data.