Multimodal imaging system for cancer detection is smaller and cheaper
Before they excise a tumor, surgeons need to determine exactly where the cancerous cells lie. Recognizing this, a team of researchers at the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ) and Washington University in St. Louis (Missouri) has developed a multimodal imager that combines two systems—near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent imaging to detect marked cancer cells and visible light reflectance imaging to see the contours of the tissue itself—into a small, lightweight package that measures 25 mm across. The imager could lead to cheaper and more lightweight tools for surgeons, such as goggles or hand-held devices, to identify tumors in real time in the operating room.