A method and apparatus for enhancing the contrast of a local area of interest within an electronic image of an object, such as a female breast, which has been transilluminated by non-ionizing radiation such as light or sound. The area of interest may be a cancerous tumor, cyst or another object which differentially absorbs or transmits the radiation. Enhancement of contrast is by normalization of the electronic image. Normalization includes modeling the illumination field of the image to compensate for the non-uniformity of the illumination field, and then combining the modeled field with the original image. Four normalization processes are disclosed: Gaussian curve fitting, geometric mean smoothing, arithmetic mean smoothing, and arithmetic mean smoothing only within the boundary of the local area of interest. Also disclosed is a process for highlighting local areas which are the result of enhanced transmission of the radiation, such as potential cyst sites, and color mapping more than one displayed image. The normalized image may be displayed for analysis.

Transillumination method apparatus for the diagnosis of breast tumors and other breast lesions by normalization of an electronic image of the breast

In response to an invitation by the editor-in-chief, I would like to present the current status of time domain imaging With exciting new photon diffusion techniques being developed in the frequency domain and
promising optical coherence tomography, time-resolved transillumination is in constant evolution and the
subject of passionate discussions during the numerous conferences dedicated to this subject The purpose of
time-resolved optical tomography is to provide noninvasive, high-resolution imaging of the interior of living
bodies by the use of nonionizing radiation Moreover, the use of visible to near-infrared wavelength yields
metabolic information Breast cancer screening is the primary potential application for time-resolved imaging
Neurology and tissue characterization are also possible fields of applications Time-resolvedtransillumination and optical tomography should not only improve diagnoses, but the welfare of the patient As no overview of this technique has yet been presented to my knowledge, this paper briefly describes the various methods enabling time-resolved transillumination and optical tomography The advantages and disadvantages of these
methods, as well as the clinical challenges they face are discussed Although an analytic and computable model of light transport through tissues is essential for a meaningful interpretation of the transillumination process, this paper will not dwell on the mathematics of photon propagation

https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/Journal-of-Biomedical-Optics/volume-1/issue-01/0000/Time-resolved-transillumination-and-optical-tomography/10.1117/12.227112.pdf

Time-resolved transillumination and optical tomography

This article reviews our research activities in the area of optical mammography and relates them to the historical developments and the current state and trends in the field. The guiding threads for this article are the roles played in optical mammography by spatial and spectral information. The first feature, spatial information, is limited by the diffusive nature of light propagation but can take advantage of the exceptionally high optical contrast featured by blood vessels and blood-rich areas in the breast. We describe a method to correct for edge effects, a spatial second-derivative algorithm, and a two-dimensional phased-array approach that enhance the image contrast, the spatial resolution, and the depth discrimination in optical mammograms. The second feature, spectral information, is the most powerful and unique capability of optical mammography, and allows for functional measurements associated with hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation, water concentration, lipids content, and the wavelength dependence of tissue scattering. We present oxygenation-index images obtained from multi-wavelength optical data that point to the diagnostic potential of oxygenation information in optical mammography. The optimization of the spatial and spectral information in optical mammography has the potential to create a role for this imaging modality in the detection and monitoring of breast cancer.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/153303460500400502

Spatial and Spectral Information in Optical Mammography

Visual lights have been used to detect breast lesions since the 1929 report by M. Cutler', who observed breast transilluinination in a darkened room. Other papers' followed in the 1930s. In 19515, work started again using hard copies of transmitted near-infrared(NIR) shadows.

Visible and infrared diaphanoscopy for medical diagnosis

Background Breast illumination was suggested as a simple method for breast cancer screening. BreastLight is a simple apparatus for this purpose. Objective To evaluate the diagnostic performance of BreastLight as a screening tool of breast cancer in comparison to mammography and histopathology. Materials and methods This hospital-based cross sectional study was conducted in the mammography unit of the radiodiagnosis department at National Cancer Institute, Cairo University. All participants were subjected to breast examination with the BreastLight tool, mammography and ultrasonography. Suspicious cases were biopsied for histopathological examination which is considered as a gold standard. Results The mean age of the participants was 46.3±12.4 years. Breast illumination method had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and total accuracy of 93.0%, 73.7%, 91.4%, 77.8% and 88.2%, respectively in detection of breast cancer. Conclusions Breast illumination method with BreastLight apparatus is a promising easy-to-use tool to screen for breast cancer suitable for primary health care physician or at-home use. It needs further evaluation especially in asymptomatic women.

Evaluation of BreastLight as a tool for early detection of breast lesions among females attending National Cancer Institute, Cairo University.

Transillumination of the female breast has during the past few years been reintroduced as an aid in the diagnosis of breast lesions. A series of 259 women with symptoms from the breast were examined by mammography, clinical examination by two independent surgeons, diaphanoscopy by one of the surgeons, diaphanography, and fine needle aspiration biopsy of material taken from palpable tumours. The results were evaluated in order to ascertain the contribution made by transillumination procedures to the diagnosis of malignancy. Carcinoma of the breast was confirmed in 26 women. The malignancy was correctly suggested in 21 and 23 women, respectively, at clinical examination, in 19 by mammography, in 20 by diaphanoscopy, in 16 by diaphanography and in 20 by aspiration cytology. The number of false positive cases was high, especially with the transillumination procedures. All malignancies detected by diaphanoscopy were also believed to be carcinoma at the clinical examination. The three cancers falsely classified as benign at clinical examination were correctly identified as malignant only by mammography or cytology or both.

Holmlund D

Papers

Diaphanoscopy and diaphanography for breast cancer detection in clinical practice.