Breast 19

• Published in: British journal of surgery Vol. 89; no. S1; p. 74
• Main Authors: Lee, A.C., Pickard, C.D.O., Keshtgar, M.R.S., Briggs, G.M., Falzon, M., Lakhni, S., Bigio, I., Bown, S.G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 2002
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2168.89.s.1.21_7.x
• EISSN: 1365-2168
• ISSN: 0007-1323

Introduction: Elastic scattering spectroscopy (ESS) studies tissue structure by spectral analysis of light absorption and scattering by intra‐ and extracellular components of tissue, and has previously been shown to be sensitive to morphological changes in tissue. The aim of our study is to determine the accuracy of ESS in diagnosis of breast cancer.
Methods: ESS system consists of a white light source, a parallel pair of optical fibres, a spectrometer and a computer. The process involves the delivery of light from the light source directly onto breast tissue via an optical fibre. The light is collected by the second optical fibre, and is analysed by the spectrometer and the computer, generating an optical spectrum. The entire process takes less than 1 s. Using model base analysis, the optical spectrum was analysed against an independent set of optical spectra taken from normal and malignant breast tissue to provide the diagnosis. The result was compared to the histological findings of the breast tissue.
Result: Optical spectra were taken from 94 breast tissues. ESS provided correct diagnosis in 87 out of 88 breast tissues (six were deemed indeterminate). ESS was able to diagnose 15 out of 16 breast cancers. There was one false positive, thus giving a sensitivity of 93.8 per cent, specificity of 98.6 per cent, positive predictive value 93.8 per cent and negative predictive value 100 per cent.
Conclusion: ESS has the potential to provide an instant and nonoperator‐dependent detection of breast cancer, which can be used to guide core biopsies and to assess breast lesions and tumour margins intraoperatively.