Detection of surgical margins in head and neck cancer with dynamic optical contrast imaging

Due to the anatomic confines of the head and neck, resection of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) necessitates precise margins that balance oncologic outcomes with preservation of speech and swallowing. Dynamic Optical Contrast Imaging (DOCI) is a novel non-invasive imaging system that measures endogenous fluorescence decay rates. DOCI acquires images in real-time (<2 secs) with an operatively relevant wide field of view (6.5 cm²). After surgical excision, 10 OPSCC specimens were imaged using DOCI. In all 10 specimens, DOCI clearly differentiated healthy tissue from cancer (p<0.01). DOCI has the potential to improve patient oncologic and functional outcomes by allowing the surgeon to precisely determine margins intraoperatively.