NIH-Funded Breast Cancer Imaging Research Detailed in New Paper

Austin Cook

El-Shenawee working with Nikita Gurjara in her lab to solve challenges that arise during the research process.

A research team led by Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Professor Magda El-Shenawee will publish a paper in the Journal of Medical Imaging funded by the National Institutes of Health detailing the latest findings in El-Shenawee's continuing research involving new imaging technologies to help surgeons in the treatment of breast cancer.

Titled "Polarimetry Terahertz Imaging of Human Breast Cancer Surgical Specimens," the article is co-authored by Nikita Gurjara, who graduated with a master's degree in electrical engineering in August, and Dr. Keith Bailey, director and pathologist at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. The research stems from a $424,545 National Institutes of Health grant awarded to the team in September 2021 to implement the new idea of polarimetry terahertz imaging for the detection of cancer in surgical specimens of excised breast cancer tumors.

The main goal of the research is to guide breast surgeons in detecting the positive margins of excised tumors while still in the operating room. Polarimetry imaging has the potential to provide more information to surgeons in the moment during the scanning of the specimen.

The research represents a significant step forward in improving cancer detection on the margins of the excised tumor and avoiding cancer recurrence in the breast. The funding from the NIH provided support for the research team's efforts to expand terahertz frequency imaging into the operating room. It followed a $424,081 grant from the National Cancer Institute, which is part of NIH, in March 2017.

"This second NIH award is a testament to the strength and potential impact of our terahertz research," El-Shenawee said. "It is helping us bridge the gap between experimental studies and real-world clinical applications. We are especially excited about the opportunity to collaborate with breast surgeons and oncologists to ensure that our technology meets the needs of surgeons and patients alike."

The team's work leverages a unique multi-orientation scanning method to increase imaging accuracy. By collecting data from four different antenna orientations, the system provides significantly more detailed information than a traditional single-orientation scan approach.

Currently, surgeons rely on visual inspections and limited tools to determine whether they have removed all cancerous tissue — a challenge the University of Arkansas team aims to address.

"This technology is designed to go into the operating room and assist surgeons to identify whether cancer is still present after a tumor is removed," El-Shenawee said, "The ability to provide this information in real-time is critical."

A notable component of the project is its integration of artificial intelligence. Collaborator Alexander Nelson, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science, highlighted how AI is transforming imaging technologies like terahertz.

"Terahertz imaging—like most imaging—can benefit from artificial intelligence as an aid in tasks such as classification, image enhancement and understanding," Nelson said. "Our collaboration has allowed us to apply deep learning approaches to better understand breast cancer and improve the performance of this imaging technology."

El-Shenawee hopes the support of the NIH will attract the attention of breast surgeons and oncologists and encourage them to join the team in applying this technology in clinical settings. She emphasized the importance of these partnerships, noting that close collaboration with medical professionals is essential for fine-tuning the system to meet practical needs.

Bailey, a pathologist, is already working closely with the research team in this manner. He compares pathological images of tissue samples with the terahertz imaging and is working to improve its accuracy. Dr. Bailey's support provides the team with a practical application of their research.

"My team members are engineers and researchers," El-Shenawee said. "We lack the experience of applying our research in a clinical setting. Input from medical professionals, especially breast surgeons and oncologists, can help us shift our focus to what could be the most impactful application of our research." 

Despite its promise, the technology still faces hurdles. Currently, the imaging process takes more than 10 minutes per scan. This is too slow for the fast-paced environment of an operating room. Accelerating this process is key to moving forward, El-Shenawee said.

Publication in the Journal of Medical Imaging further validates their innovative approach. For El-Shenawee, the latest NIH award and growing interest from the medical community affirm the project's importance.

"This recognition is not just for us as researchers—it is about pushing technology forward to improve patient outcomes," El-Shenawee said. "We're building a foundation that could one day make terahertz imaging as essential as MRI or ultrasound in cancer care."

With ongoing support from the NIH and increasing collaboration with medical experts, the University of Arkansas team is poised to transform how breast cancer is detected and treated in surgical settings.