In vivo test-driven upgrade of a time domain multi-wavelength optical mammograph

Giulia Maffeis; Edoardo Ferocino; Alberto Dalla Mora; Antonio Pifferi; Rinaldo Cubeddu; Paola Taroni

doi:10.1364/BOE.412210

In vivo test-driven upgrade of a time domain multi-wavelength optical mammograph

Biomed Opt Express. 2021 Jan 27;12(2):1105-1122. doi: 10.1364/BOE.412210. eCollection 2021 Feb 1.

Authors

Giulia Maffeis¹, Edoardo Ferocino¹, Alberto Dalla Mora¹, Antonio Pifferi^{1

2}, Rinaldo Cubeddu¹, Paola Taroni^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Politecnico di Milano, Department of Physics, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133, Milan, Italy.
² CNR-Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133, Milan, Italy.

Abstract

A recent upgrade of the time domain multi-wavelength optical mammograph developed by Politecnico di Milano achieved good performance in laboratory tests [Biomed. Opt. Express9, 755 (2018).10.1364/BOE.9.000755]. However, it proved unsatisfactory when in vivo measurements were finally performed. That led to a further upgrade, including the replacement of the time-to-digital converter with a new model, and the related set-up changes. The new instrument version offers improved laboratory performance (as assessed through established protocols: BIP and MEDPHOT) and good in vivo performance (extension of the scanned breast area, repeatability, consistency of estimated tissue composition with physiology). Besides introducing the new set-up and detailing its laboratory and in vivo performance, we highlight the importance of systematic in vivo testing before entering clinical trials.