In vivo nerve identification in head and neck surgery using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

Background: Careful identification of nerves during head and neck surgery is essential to prevent nerve damage. Currently, nerves are identified based on anatomy and appearance, optionally combined with electromyography (EMG). In challenging cases, nerve damage is reported in up to 50%. Recently, optical techniques, like diffuse reflectance...

Towards the use of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for real-time in vivo detection of breast cancer during surgery

Background: Breast cancer surgeons struggle with differentiating healthy tissue from cancer at the resection margin during surgery. We report on the feasibility of using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) for real-time in vivo tissue characterization. Methods: Evaluating feasibility of the technology requires a setting in which...

Optical signature of nerve tissue—Exploratory ex vivo study comparing optical, histological, and molecular characteristics of different adipose and nerve tissues

Background: During several anesthesiological procedures, needles are inserted through the skin of a patient to target nerves. In most cases, the needle traverses several tissues—skin, subcutaneous adipose tissue, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels—to reach the target nerve. A clear identification of the target nerve can improve the success of...

Optimal endobronchial tool sizes for targeting lung lesions based on 3D modeling

Background For patients with suspicious lung lesions found on chest x-ray or CT, endo/trans- bronchial biopsy of the lung is the preferred method for obtaining a diagnosis. With the addition of new screening programs, a higher number of patients will require diagnostic biopsy which will prove even more challenging due to the small size of...