Optical Breast Imaging: A Review of Physical Principles, Technologies, and Clinical Applications

Abstract Optical imaging involves the propagation of light through tissue. Current optical breast technologies, including diffuse spectroscopy, tomography, and photoacoustic imaging, capitalize on selective absorption in near-infrared spectrum by deoxygenated oxygenated hemoglobin. They provide information morphological functional characteristics different tissues based their varied interactions with light, physiologic lesion vascular content anatomic tissue vascularity. Fluorescent contrast agents, such as indocyanine green, are used to visualize specific tissues, molecules, or proteins depending how where agent accumulates. In this review, we describe physical principles, clinical applications most common systems currently being developed for imaging. Most notably, US co-registered US-guided tomography have demonstrated efficacy differentiating benign from malignant masses, thereby improving specificity diagnostic Diffuse spectroscopy shown promise assessing treatment response preoperative systemic therapy, may help predict tumor phenotype. Lastly, fluorescent using green dye performs comparably radioisotope mapping sentinel lymph nodes appears improve outcomes autologous flap reconstruction.