The NASA smart probe for real-time tissue identification: Potential applications in neurosurgery

Minimally-invasive neurosurgery depends on accurate identification of tissues, frequently under conditions of impaired visualization (e.g. endoscopic images). The NASA Smart Probe employs neural networks to integrate data from multiple microsensors in real-time to create a unique tissue "signature" for each tissue. The Smart Probe concept is reviewed and clinical data from women with suspected breast cancer (by the NASA licensee, BioLuminate Inc.) are summarized. The breast cancer Smart Probe utilizes electrical impedance and optical spectroscopy (both broadband or white light, and laser light (infrared and blue/fluorescence)) microsensors in a 1 turn diameter probe. Data are acquired 100 times per second, with a typical 15s a breast "biopsy" typically generating several hundred megabytes (MB) of data. The multiparameter "Smart Probe" can readily differentiate both normal tissues and carcinoma.