Laser Imaging System Assists Intraoperative Histology

A new system images fresh, unprocessed tissue specimens without sectioning or staining, enabling histologic evaluation on-site.

The Invenio Imaging (Santa Clara, CA, USA) NIO Laser Imaging System is based on stimulated Raman histology (SRH), which allows three-dimensional (3D) imaging of thick specimens using optical sectioning using laser spectroscopy to interrogate the chemical composition of the sample. The system performs spectroscopic measurement at each and every pixel, displaying the results as a pseudo-color image at 25x magnification and a 0.5mm scan width. Larger areas--up to 10x10 mm--can be acquired by stitching multiple fields of view in a fully automated process.


To perform the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) histology, the tissue sample is mounted in a custom, easy-to-use NIO Slide, which can also be retrieved and for subsequent downstream analysis with traditional and advanced genomic methods. NIO images are natively digital and can also be shared instantly for review by pathology using existing hospital IT infrastructure. This allows streamlining intraoperative pathology consultations, enabling surgeons to make accurate surgical decisions based on histology.

“Invenio’s system targets applications in neurosurgery and incorporates two lasers, one operating at 790 nm and the other at 1020 nm, to image the margins of a tumor,” said Christian Freudiger, PhD, co-founder of Invenio. “Brain tumors are very infiltrative, so the images need to be clear enough to provide very specific margins. Images created by this two-laser method and stitched together can provide a neurosurgeon with the information needed to make a real-time decision.”

IVDs are a subset of tests or medical devices that examine specimens taken from the human body which provide essential data for screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Applications of IVD include oncology, cancer, nephrology, cardiology, drug testing, autoimmune diseases, diabetes and infectious diseases.

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