Exploring the potential of cycloidal computed tomography for advancing intraoperative specimen imaging

A preliminary investigation into the use of cycloidal computed tomography for intraoperative specimen imaging is presented. Intraoperative imaging is applied in time-sensitive clinical settings, where obtaining a high-resolution, high-quality image within minutes is paramount in evaluating the success of operations and/or the need for additional surgery. As a flexible imaging method that is compatible with x-ray phase contrast imaging, cycloidal computed tomography can provide both high spatial resolution and high image contrast, whilst keeping scan times short thanks to an effective under-sampling approach. To gather early evidence, the method was tested on resected breast and oesophageal tissue. The results, although preliminary, indicate that cycloidal imaging may indeed be beneficial for intraoperative specimen imaging, although further studies are required to confirm this potential.