Accurate diagnosis of primary and metastatic brain tumors using laser fluorescence imaging guided by the sodium fluorescein exogenous fluorophore

Ghoghaii, Fatemeh; Ilchi-Ghazaani, Maryam; Ghezelbash, Mahsa; Sajad, Batool

doi:10.24200/nst.2025.1768.2090

Accurate diagnosis of primary and metastatic brain tumors using laser fluorescence imaging guided by the sodium fluorescein exogenous fluorophore

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Fatemeh Ghoghaii ¹

Maryam Ilchi-Ghazaani ²

Mahsa Ghezelbash ³

Batool Sajad ¹

¹ Department of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Faculty of Physics, Alzahra University

² Photonics and Quantum Technologies Research Institute, Nuclear Sciences and Technologies Research Institute (NSTRI)

³ Optic and laser science & technology research center, Malek Ashtar University of Technology (MUT)

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2025.1768.2090

Abstract

In this study, the accurate diagnosis and differentiation of healthy and cancerous brain tissues was investigated using laser fluorescence imaging guided by the sodium fluorescein exogenous fluorophore and the results are compared with tissues auto-fluorescence images. Samples, which were diagnosed as meningioma, metastatic carcinoma, low-grade glioma, as well as high-grade glioma types by pathologists, were obtained from 4 patients and optical imaging technique with hematoxylin-eosin staining is used to validate the results. The findings reveal that the intensity of fluorescence radiation from cancerous tissues is more intense than that from healthy tissues due to the greater permeability of the dye in the cavities and pores of the tissue. In addition to increasing the accuracy and precision of the results, this imaging method allows the surgeon to visualize and diagnose the tumor in real-time and completely resect the tumor, eliminating the need for invasive biopsies. Therefore, the results indicate that sodium fluorescein can be used as a reliable fluorescence marker in intraoperative imaging to improve the diagnosis and delineation of brain tumors.

Keywords

Optical biopsy

Laser fluorescence imaging

Biomarker

Exogenous fluorophore

Brain tumor

Main Subjects