Longevity & AgingHyperspectral Imaging Tool Maps Brain Tumor Metabolism Without Dyes or Stains
Brain tumor surgery relies on preoperative scans that lose accuracy once the brain shifts, and final tumor grading can take weeks. Researchers built HyperProbe1.1, a label-free hyperspectral imaging system that captures reflectance across 385 to 1015 nm in about 30 seconds. Spectral unmixing maps hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, cytochrome c oxidase, and other chromophores. A UV-LED module adds autofluorescence imaging of the metabolic cofactors NADH and FAD. The team tested the system on standardized optical phantoms and on fresh biopsies from 28 glioma patients, comparing the results with histological grade. The system showed stable, linear, quantitative performance on phantoms and produced spatial molecular contrast maps in glioma tissue. It remains a laboratory tool using ex vivo samples, so intraoperative use still needs development and validation.
