Abstract

Confocal reflectance microscopy has the potential to provide cellular images in bulk tissue without requiring histological processing. One potential application for confocal reflectance microscopy is intra-surgical imaging of breast cancer margins. Comprehensive intra-surgical pathologic inspection is not routinely performed during breast-cancer excisions because of the difficulty in performing multiple frozen sections for adequate histologic evaluation of the margin status. While confocal images show cellular detail in unadulterated breast tissue, the contrast of breast epithelium is low and often overwhelmed by the strong backscatter from collagen.

© 2004 Optical Society of America