Angular optimization for cancer identification with circularly polarized light

Depolarization of circularly polarized light scattered from biological tissues depends on structural changes in cell nuclei, which can provide valuable information for differentiating cancer tissues concealed in healthy tissues. In this study, we experimentally verified the possibility of cancer identification using scattering of circularly polarized light. We investigated the polarization of light scattered from a sliced biological tissue with various optical configurations. A significant difference between circular polarizations of light scattered from cancerous and healthy tissues is observed, which is sufficient to distinguish a cancerous region. The line-scanning experiments along a region incorporating healthy and cancerous parts indicate step-like behaviors in the degree of circular polarization corresponding to the state of tissues, whether cancerous or normal. An oblique and perpendicular incidence induces different resolutions for identifying cancerous tissues, which indicates that the optical arrangement can be selected according to the priority of resolution.

Automated summary

This study experimentally verified the potential for cancer identification using circularly polarized light scattering and observed significant differences in circular polarizations between cancerous and healthy tissues. Line-scanning experiments showed step-like behaviors in circular polarization corresponding to tissue states, whether cancerous or normal. Different resolutions for identifying cancerous tissues were induced by oblique and perpendicular incidence, indicating the importance of selecting optical arrangements based on resolution priorities.