Study: Infrared Light Can Show Whether Breast Lump Is Cancerous

Infrared light is being used to show whether or not a breast lump is cancerous, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania who presented their findings at the annual meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society in Atlanta, Georgia.

The technology, called diffuse optical tomography, can estimate blood volume and oxygen levels of the hemoglobin in the blood. Increased deoxygenated hemoglobin and increased blood volume can indicate cancer, according to Dr. Saroja Adusumilli, radiologist and lead author of the report.

Researchers assessed 32 women who had either an abnormal mammogram or breast mass that could be felt. The women underwent a diffuse optical tomography examination, using a hand-held imager.

Of the 32 women, most of those whose examination showed increased blood volume and deoxygenated hemoglobin were found, by biopsy, to have cancer.

The technique uses no radiation and only takes ten minutes, said Adusumilli. The breast does not need to be compressed and the patient does not need to be injected with contrast media as with an MR examination. The equipment is portable, weighing only two pounds, and hooks into a laptop computer.

The technology may prove to be an ideal way to screen women who do not have access to high-tech breast examinations, reported Adusumilli.

Other Sources: American Roentgen Ray Society