High-resolution, 3-D imaging of lumpectomy tissue using optical coherence tomography

Pathology image guidance may enhance the effectiveness of adjuvant radiation treatment by identifying high-risk regions that would benefit from escalated radiation dose and low-risk regions at which little to no radiation dose is necessary. We present 3-D high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of breast lumpectomy specimens. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lumpectomy tissue specimens and mouse breast glands were imaged with OCT in the form of multiple series of 2-D axial depth scans. The computationally-combined series of 2-D images forms a reconstructed volume. Ongoing studies will establish whether these images can capture features comparable to the corresponding pathology for localized adjuvant radiation treatment planning.