Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide. A common and effective treatment for many types of breast cancer is surgical lumpectomy. Unlike full mastectomies, lumpectomies attempt to remove only the cancerous lesion and a thin, surrounding margin of healthy tissue to ensure the removal of all cancerous cells. To achieve this goal, the operating surgeon must have precise knowledge of the location of the tumor. Currently, the location of the lesion is most often marked by the precise insertion of a hooked wire before the lumpectomy operation.
Increasing the surgeons’ ability to locate the wire leads to improved post surgical outcomes, with decreased healing times and reduced need for further treatment. To this end, it has been proposed that by fiber-optically linking RF modulated light, location of the lesion during surgery might be aided through two means: the surgeon would quickly be able to see the illuminated tissue, and through the use of a wand, it should be possible to measure the phase change of the modulated light when compared to a reference signal[1]. Through real time measurement of this phase, the depth of tissue could accurately be reported to the operating team. Subject: Optical engineering, electrical engineering, biomedical, digital signal processing
