When breast cancer is surgically removed, a rim of normal tissue surrounding the tumor is also removed. This rim of normal tissue is called a margin and is studied by a pathologist to determine whether or not all tumor was removed. The pathologist achieves this by cutting the surgically removed tissue into thin slices and observing each slice under a microscope. This process is time-consuming. Here, we investigate the feasibility of using a portable carbon nanotube (CNT)-based X-ray system for in situ detection of the presence of tumor cells in the surgical margin. Using the proposed technique, we successfully obtain X-ray images, which clearly show cancer masses and microcalcifications. This feasibility study shows that portable CNT-based X-ray systems are promising candidates for next-generation in situ pathological examinations.

中文翻译：

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基于碳纳米管场发射器的便携式术中标本成像X射线系统可行性研究

当通过手术切除乳腺癌时，肿瘤周围的正常组织边缘也会被切除。正常组织的这个边缘称为边缘，由病理学家研究以确定是否所有肿瘤都被切除。病理学家通过将手术切除的组织切成薄片并在显微镜下观察每个切片来实现这一点。这个过程非常耗时。在这里，我们研究了使用基于便携式碳纳米管 (CNT) 的 X 射线系统原位检测手术切缘中肿瘤细胞存在的可行性。使用所提出的技术，我们成功地获得了 X 射线图像，它清楚地显示了癌症肿块和微钙化。这项可行性研究表明，便携式基于 CNT 的 X 射线系统是下一代原位病理检查的有希望的候选者。