It has been proposed to develop special-purpose electronic noses and algorithms for processing the digitized outputs of the electronic noses for determining whether tissue exposed during neurosurgery is cancerous. At present, visual inspection by a surgeon is the only available intraoperative technique for detecting cancerous tissue. Implementation of the proposal would help to satisfy a desire, expressed by some neurosurgeons, for an intraoperative technique for determining whether all of a brain tumor has been removed. The electronic-nose technique could complement multimodal imaging techniques, which have also been proposed as means of detecting cancerous tissue. There are also other potential applications of the electronic-nose technique in general diagnosis of abnormal tissue.

Processed Readings of the Sensors in a 15-sensor electronic nose were recorded during an exposure to a melanoma cell culture and a brain-tumor cell culture. In processing the readings for each culture, growth-medium contributions were subtracted and all the readings were normalized to the largest reading. The lower plot is a vertically expanded version of the upper plot. In the regions enclosed by the ellipses, the differences between the patterns are considered to be typical of differences that would be sufficient to enable distinction between the two cell cultures.

In preliminary experiments performed to assess the viability of the proposal, the problem of distinguishing between different types of cultured cells was substituted for the problem of distinguishing between normal and abnormal specimens of the same type of tissue. The figure presents data from one experiment, illustrating differences between patterns that could be used to distinguish between two types of cultured cancer cells. Further development can be expected to include studies directed toward answering questions concerning not only the possibility of distinguishing among various types of normal and abnormal tissue but also distinguishing between tissues of interest and other odorous substances that may be present in medical settings.

This work was done by Margie L. Homer and Margaret A. Ryan of Caltech, Liana M. Lara of Santa Barbara Research, and Babak Kateb and Mike Chen of City of Hope Medical Center for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

In accordance with Public Law 96-517, the contractor has elected to retain title to this invention. Inquiries concerning rights for its commercial use should be addressed to:

Innovative Technology Assets Management
JPL
Mail Stop 202-233
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109-8099
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Refer to NPO-45433, volume and number of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and the page number.

Topics:
Anatomy Bio-Medical Diseases Imaging and visualization Inspections Mathematical models Medical Medical, health and wellness Medical, health, and wellness Nervous system Optics Sensors and actuators Simulation and modeling
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Using Electronic Noses To Detect Tumors During Neurosurgery

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NASA Tech Briefs Magazine

This article first appeared in the August, 2008 issue of NASA Tech Briefs Magazine (Vol. 32 No. 8).

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Overview

The document discusses the innovative use of electronic noses (e-noses) in medical applications, particularly for tumor detection during neurosurgery. Developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), this technology leverages the ability of e-noses to analyze and differentiate between various biological samples based on their "odor fingerprints."

The document outlines several in vitro studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of e-noses in distinguishing between different types of tumor cells and tissues. For instance, one study compares the odor fingerprints of two tumor cell lines: A2058 (a melanoma cell line) and U251 (a brain tumor cell line). The results indicate that the e-nose can successfully differentiate between these cell types based on the variations in their sensor responses, with significant differences noted in specific regions of the sensor array.

Another study examines the influence of cell number on the odor fingerprint. It reveals that for A2058 cells, there is no significant difference in the e-nose readings between cultures of 300,000 and 1,000,000 cells, as the variation is below the threshold needed for distinction. In contrast, the U251 cells show a substantial difference in fingerprint patterns based on cell number, indicating that the e-nose can detect variations in tumor cell density.

Additionally, the document explores the capability of e-noses to distinguish between different types of tissues, such as chicken liver and chicken heart. The findings suggest that the e-nose can effectively identify tissue types based on their unique odor profiles, with a variation of 19% across the sensor array.

The research highlights the potential of e-noses as a non-invasive diagnostic tool that could enhance surgical procedures by providing real-time feedback on tissue types, thereby aiding surgeons in making informed decisions during operations. The document emphasizes the broader implications of this technology, suggesting that it could lead to improved patient outcomes and more precise surgical interventions.

Overall, the document presents a compelling case for the integration of electronic noses in medical settings, showcasing their ability to analyze complex biological samples and contribute to advancements in tumor detection and tissue differentiation.