Imaging of Human Lymph Nodes Using Optical Coherence Tomography

[lymphedemapeople]

This was quite interesting as it may help provide a means of
diagnosing cancer without having to remove lymph nodes. If so, that
would be a major step in helping to eliminate so much secondary
lymphedema.

After the article, I have included a link to where you can learn more
about OCT and its various applications.

Pat

Cancer Res. 2010 Mar 16. [Epub ahead of print]

Imaging of Human Lymph Nodes Using Optical Coherence Tomography:
Potential for Staging Cancer.

McLaughlin RA, Scolaro L, Robbins P, Hamza S, Saunders C, Sampson DD.

Authors' Affiliations: Optical + Biomedical Engineering Laboratory,
School of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering and School
of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western
Australia, Australia; and PathWest, QEII Medical Centre and Sir
Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
Histologic assessment is the gold standard technique for the
identification of metastatic involvement of lymph nodes in malignant
disease, but can only be performed ex vivo and often results in the
unnecessary excision of healthy lymph nodes, leading to complications
such as lymphedema. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-
resolution, near-IR imaging modality capable of visualizing
microscopic features within tissue. OCT has the potential to provide
in vivo assessment of tissue involvement by cancer. In this
morphologic study, we show the capability of OCT to image nodal
microarchitecture through an assessment of fresh, unstained ex vivo
lymph node samples. Examples include both benign human axillary lymph
nodes and nodes containing metastatic breast carcinoma. Through
accurate correlation with the histologic gold standard, OCT is shown
to enable differentiation of lymph node tissue from surrounding
adipose tissue, reveal nodal structures such as germinal centers and
intranodal vessels, and show both diffuse and well circumscribed
patterns of metastatic node involvement. Cancer Res; 70(7); 2579-84.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20233873

Read more about Optical Coherence Tomography

http://www.octnews.org/

[info physiopod]

Thanks Pat, will study with interest, did you read about the breakthrough of  ice therapy through fine needles for destroying tumours http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=cryo   it's going to be a while before this is mainstream but very interesting.

Also a therapist who bought a unit from us 3 years ago has had breast cancer removal and they did a new procedure called:

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy:

A sentinel lymph node biopsy is a new technique. This was developed as a test to determine if breast cancer has spread to the lymph ducts or lymph nodes in the axilla without having to do a traditional axillary lymph node dissection. Experience has shown us that the lymph ducts of the breast usually drain to one lymph node first, before draining through the rest of the lymph nodes underneath the arm. That first lymph node is called the sentinel lymph node. That is the lymph node that helps sound the warning that the cancer has spread. Lymph node mapping helps identify that lymph node, and a sentinel lymph node biopsy removes only that lymph node. The sentinel lymph node is identified in one of two ways, either by a weak radioactive dye (technetium-labeled sulfur colloid) that can be measured by a hand held probe, or by a blue dye (isosulfan blue) that stains the lymph tissue a bright blue so it can be seen. Most breast cancer surgeons use a combination of both dyes. This procedure is new. The “best” way to administer the dye, which dye to use, and the benefits and risks of the procedure in various situations is still being studied. A traditional axillary lymph node dissection is the “tried and true” method, and is still considered the “gold standard”.

Hope this is of interest.

Incidentally, the therapist did not stay overnight in hospital because she could not wait to get home and get her Hivamat machine working on her!  It stopped the post surgery pain immediately, lessened the swelling and brought about a dynamic wound healing.  She did two 20 min treatments a day.  She had a check up last week and she is still clear of cancer which is excellent news.

Mary

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Kind Regards.............

Mrs Mary Fickling, Company Director for PhysioPod UK Limited / Sole Distributor for the UK & The Republic of Ireland of DEEP OSCILLATION®  Massage Therapy - ACTIVE HEALING FOR FAST REGENERATION

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