Lighting Up Tumors
August 20, 2008 | Source: Technology Review
A new imaging system that highlights cancerous tissue in lurid colors should help surgeons remove every last trace of cancer without harming the surrounding tissue.
The system, developed by a Harvard Medical School professor, is currently in early clinical trials, using a new class of contrast agents that emit near-infrared light and can attach to virtually any kind of tissue, cancerous or a healthy–showing surgeons just where to cut.