Breast imaging technology: Probing physiology and molecular function using optical imaging - applications to breast cancer

The present review addresses the capacity of optical imaging to resolve functional and molecular characteristics of breast cancer. We focus on recent developments in optical imaging that allow three-dimensional reconstruction of optical signatures in the human breast using diffuse optical tomography (DOT). These technologic advances allow the noninvasive, in vivo imaging and quantification of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin and of contrast agents that target the physiologic and molecular functions of tumors. Hence, malignancy differentiation can be based on a novel set of functional features that are complementary to current radiologic imaging methods. These features could enhance diagnostic accuracy, lower the current state-of-the-art detection limits, and play a vital role in therapeutic strategy and monitoring

Pediatric Acupuncture: A Review of Clinical Research

Practiced in China for more than 2000 years, acupuncture has recently gained increased attention in the United States as an alternative treatment approach for a variety of medical conditions. Despite its growing prevalence and anecdotal reports of success among pediatric populations, few empirically based studies have assessed the efficacy of acupuncture for children and adolescents. This article presents a review of the current literature, including a systematic appraisal of the methodological value of each study and a discussion of potential benefits and adverse effects of acupuncture. While acupuncture holds great promise as a treatment modality for diverse pediatric conditions, a significant amount of additional research is necessary to establish an empirical basis for the incorporation of acupuncture into standard care

Full-field high-speed laser Doppler imaging system for blood-flow measurements

We describe the design and performance of a new full-field high-speed laser Doppler imaging system developed for mapping and monitoring of blood flow in biological tissue. The total imaging time for 256x256 pixels region of interest is 1.2 seconds. An integrating CMOS image sensor is utilized to detect Doppler signal in a plurality of points simultaneously on the sample illuminated by a divergent laser beam of a uniform intensity profile. The integrating property of the detector improves the signal-to- noise ratio of the measurement, which results in high- quality flow-images provided by the system. The new technique is real-time, non-invasive and the instrument is easy to use. The wide range of applications is one of the major challenges for a future application of the imager. High-resolution high-speed laser Doppler perfusion imaging is a promising optical technique for diagnostic and assessing the treatment effect of the diseases such as e.g. atherosclerosis, psoriasis, diabetes, skin cancer, allergies, peripheral vascular diseases, skin irritancy and wound healing. We present some biological applications of the new imager and discuss the perspectives for the future implementations of the imager for clinical and physiological applications

Preoperative irradiation with 5x5 Gy in a murine isolated colon loop model does not cause anastomotic weakening after colon resection

Introduction There are conflicting studies on the influence of fractionated preoperative 5 days of 5 Gy irradiation on tissue oxygenation and subsequent colonic anastomotic strength. To elucidate the effect of preoperative irradiation on anastomotic strength, an isolated colon loop model was developed. Methods Male Wistar rats (n = 164) were randomly divided into three groups. One group remained untreated (control). In the other two groups, a loop of descending colon was exteriorized to create a hernia of the abdominal wall. After 4 weeks' recovery, this loop was locally irradiated with 5x5 Gy of gamma-rays or sham irradiated. One week after (sham-) irradiation, an anastomosis was performed in all groups. Tissue oxygenation (StO(2)) was determined with visible light spectroscopy. The animals were sacrificed 3 or 7 days after the operation and the anastomosis was tested for bursting pressure and breaking strength. Results Irradiated rats showed significantly more weight loss (90% SD 4.3 of initial body weight vs. 96% SD 2.8, p Conclusion We developed a new isolated loop model for intermittent irradiation of the colon. Preoperative irradiation of the distal part of a colon anastomosis was successfully administered with acceptable side effects and did not cause reduced tissue oxygenation nor clinical signs of anastomotic weakening, nor objective reduction in bursting pressure and breaking strength