Real-time, noninvasive imaging that creates H&E-like views of living tissue
OCT as a Platform for Non-Invasive Virtual H&E Biopsy
This project will build a real-time, noninvasive OCT scanner and software that makes H&E-like images of living tissue to help surgeons spot tumor edges during cancer surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184280 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be imaged with a special optical scanner (optical coherence tomography, or OCT) that scans tissue up to about 1 mm deep without cutting. The team will create 3D imaging hardware and computer algorithms that convert those scans into color images resembling conventional H&E pathology slides. The goal is to provide these H&E-like images in real time so surgeons can check tumor margins during operations, with early focus on brain and skin cancers. The project combines instrument development, image processing, and large-area scanning to make the approach practical in the operating room.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people having surgery for solid tumors—especially brain or skin cancers—where knowing the exact tumor edge could change the operation.
Not a fit: Patients with tumors located deeper than the ~1 mm imaging depth, those with blood cancers, or people not undergoing surgery are unlikely to benefit from this technology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, surgeons could see cancer margins during surgery without taking traditional tissue biopsies, reducing repeat operations and preserving healthy tissue.
How similar studies have performed: Related optical methods like OCT and confocal microscopy have shown promise for tissue imaging, but producing real-time, in‑vivo H&E-style images over large surgical areas is a novel and not yet proven application.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Winetraub, Yonatan — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Winetraub, Yonatan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.