A multimodal, mechanically accurate breast phantom for mimicking compression-induced tumor hemodynamics with optical and x-ray imaging

Within the last 20 years, there has been increasing interest in the possibility of optical breast cancer screening methods, with particular interest in transmission imaging and diffuse optical tomography. Additionally, several articles have detailed the impact of breast compression on breast hemodynamics, which may be leveraged as a source of contrast for optical mammography modalities and could further open the door for optical detection and/or monitoring of breast tumors. We examine these possibilities and quantitative accuracies in estimation of breast abnormalities using a multi-modality platform combining optical and x-ray imaging. Spatial variations in blood volume and hemodynamic variations with varying levels of breast compression will be mapped with functional optical imaging as well as x-ray imaging (with iodine contrast agent). We present preliminary investigations of this approach with a phantom capable of mimicking the compression-induced hemodynamic changes observed in breast cancer patients. In advancing this work, we propose to use continuous-wave functional near-infrared spectroscopy (CW-fNIRS) in detecting breast tumors by observing compression-induced hemodynamics in the breast.