Identifying lesions of the mouth (dysplasia) that have the potential to become cancerous can be a difficult task and, as a result, patients may receive unnecessary treatments or have missed cancer diagnoses. Currently, dysplasia is diagnosed by examining tissue samples from patients under a microscope. This process is both time-consuming and can be subject to human error, making it unreliable. Now, an innovative new instrument currently under development could transform oral cancer diagnosis.

A research team from the University of Liverpool (Liverpool, UK) and Liverpool Head & Neck Centre (LHNC; Liverpool, UK) is developing the Liverpool Diagnostic Infrared (LDIR) Wand, a hand-held device that can rapidly and accurately identify lesions in the mouth that will develop into cancer. The LDIR wand uses a small number of infrared lasers, combined with machine learning algorithm analysis of infrared spectral images of tissue, to identify the lesions in the mouth that are not currently malignant but will become malignant in the future. The researchers will initially develop a prototype of the LDIR Wand for use in histopathology laboratories that could eventually be used in clinics for real-time diagnostics.

“This instrument addresses a difficult clinical problem in head and neck cancer diagnosis,” said Professor Richard Shaw from the LHNC. “We know that earlier diagnosis is key to saving lives, but predicting cancer risk in oral patches is problematic. For some patients we miss a high risk of cancer developing, but for other patients we cannot safely reassure them without better information” 

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