Combined optical and terahertz imaging for intraoperative delineation of nonmelanoma skin cancers

Nonmelanoma skin cancers are the major cause of morbidity in fair-skinned population worldwide. We investigated the feasibility of combining terahertz and optical imaging for accurate intraoperative delineation of these cancers. Fresh thick skin excisions were used for the experiments. The tissue was imaged within four hours after surgery. Obtained images were compared to the corresponding histopathology, which was considered a gold standard. The results of the study indicate that combination of cross-polarized continuous wave terahertz imaging and polarized light optical imaging has potential as an intraoperative bedside tool for controlling the completeness of surgical excision.