Real-time multispectral polarimetric imaging system for non-invasive tissue identification to aid surgeons during operations
Institute Reference: 2-23025
During surgeries, distinguishing between nerves and surrounding tissues is often challenging, leading to risks of accidental nerve damage. Traditional visual methods offer limited assistance in differentiating these tissue types. Polarimetric imaging has emerged as a promising technique to enhance tissue visualization, particularly for nerves, which display unique birefringent properties.
This technology introduces a real-time system using multispectral polarimetric imaging to automatically differentiate tissues such as nerves, fat, muscles, and veins. The system illuminates the surgical area with polarized light, which rotates to capture images from multiple polarizer angles. A processor analyzes variations in light intensity at different polarization angles to identify specific tissues. The system can operate in real time, enabling it to visualize the surgical field dynamically and accurately, even in complex surgeries where tissue differentiation is crucial.
This real-time imaging technology provides immediate feedback during surgery, helping to significantly reduce the risk of accidental nerve damage. By offering non-invasive tissue differentiation, it enhances the surgeon’s ability to visualize critical tissues such as nerves, fat, muscles, veins, and arteries without requiring physical intervention. The system also offers a wide field of view, enabling better visualization of the entire surgical area compared to traditional methods. With multispectral capabilities, it supports imaging in various spectral bands, improving contrast between different tissue types for clearer identification. Additionally, the system is portable and adaptable, allowing it to be integrated with smartphones or wearable devices, making it highly versatile for use in a wide range of medical settings.
This technology can play a crucial role in surgical navigation by assisting surgeons in accurately identifying nerves and other critical tissues during procedures. It could also serve as a powerful diagnostic imaging tool, helping to distinguish between healthy and abnormal tissues, such as diseased or damaged nerves. Furthermore, the system can be integrated with augmented reality (AR) platforms, providing enhanced, real-time overlays during surgery to improve precision and outcomes.
The University of Rochester is open to exploring funded research collaborations, licensing agreements, and other partnership opportunities.