Spectroscopic diagnosis of bladder cancer with elastic light scattering

Background and Objectives: Recently, significant progress has been made toward the development of optical, noninvasive medical diagnostics. The goal of this study was to evaluate elastic scatter measurements as a tool for diagnosing bladder cancer. Study Design/Materials and Methods: In vivo measurements on 10 patients with suspected bladder cancer were made with the optical biopsy system (OBS) developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Elastic‐scatter spectra over the wavelength range 250–800 nm were obtained using a fiber‐optic probe through one of the lumens of a urological cystoscope. Measurements were made on putatively normal areas and areas of uncertain abnormality, as well as those suspected to be cancerous. After measurements were made with the OBS, biopsy samples were taken at the measurement sites. Comparisons of the histopathology and the optical spectra were then made. Results and Conclusions: A diagnostic algorithm for distinguishing malignant from nonmalignant tissue based on the values of the slopes over the wavelength range 330–370 nm has a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 97% for the limited number of patients in this Study.