SGER: High Resolution Imaging of Cancer Cells with Light Scattering Spectroscopy

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston MA

Investigators

Abstract

0116833 Perelman The overall objective of the proposed exploratory study is to develop a novel high resolution spectroscopic imaging technique that utilizes light, elastically scattered from epithelial tissues in near backward direction, to extract information about macroscopic tissue composition as well as tissue structure at the cellular and sub-cellular scale. The specific aims are as follows: 1. Experimental system. Develop an experimental high resolution imaging system for imaging superficial layers of turbid media, which uses both spectral and angular information to study tissue phantoms, cells, and sub-cellular organelles. Develop experimental techniques capable of separating single scattered and multiply scattered light and extracting morphological information from tissue. 2. Modeling. Develop mathematical models that describe light scattering from individual sub-cellular organelles, cells and extra-cellular tissues. Identify spectroscopic signatures of sub-cellular organelles, and develop a mathematical procedure for extracting physical properties of those organelles, such as size distribution, refractive indices and absorption coefficients. 3. Experimental studies. Study wavelength and angular dependence of single and multiple scattering from individual cells, sub-cellular organelles, and cell monolayers. Develop methods based on spatial distribution of scattered light to obtain information about degree of organization/disorganization of superficial tissues and use this information to reconstruct structural images of tissue on a cellular scale.