Specimen Radiography: Elevating Precision in Breast Cancer Treatment

Rebecca Fitton

31st Oct 2024

Specimen Radiography: Elevating Precision in Breast Cancer Treatment

In today’s healthcare landscape, the demand for precision, speed, and efficiency has become very crucial. On every level, medical professionals are striving for higher standards of care, and that means the technologies they use must support accurate and timely results. Specimen radiography is a well-established technique in the breast cancer pathway and has evolved over the years to enhance its role in various medical settings—from biopsy settings to the operating rooms and into the pathology lab, by providing enhanced value for diverse needs. This technique is increasingly crucial in ensuring that the right tissue is examined and treated, leading to streamlined workflows and improved patient outcomes.

What is Specimen Radiography?

Specimen radiography is a procedure where X-ray images of tissue specimens are taken following their removal during a biopsy or surgery. This method is integral in confirming a tissue sample contains the targeted area of interest, such as suspicious lesions or microcalcifications, which are often associated with malignancies. It enables pathologists, radiologists, and surgeons to verify whether the excised tissue is adequate for diagnosis and treatment, ensuring as far as possible all necessary abnormalities are captured and that surgical margins are clear.

The integration of specimen radiography into biopsy rooms, operating theatres, and pathology labs has improved diagnostic and treatment processes. As this technology continues to mature, recent advancements have further enhanced its accuracy and efficiency, making it even more valuable in modern medical practice.

Enhancing Efficiency in Pathology Labs – Faster Diagnosis and Streamlined Workflow

Pathology labs are the nerve centers of disease diagnosis, especially in cancer care. The ability to quickly and accurately assess tissue specimens is paramount. Traditional methods often involve gross dissection of the specimen, followed by time-consuming processes to locate microcalcifications or tiny markers like microclips, crucial for accurate diagnosis. ⁽¹⁾The challenges are significant – identifying a microclip within a large mastectomy specimen has been likened to “finding a needle in a haystack”, a task complicated further by the potential for these markers to shift or by the presence of multiple markers in cases with multifocal lesions. ⁽²⁾

In the conventional setup without a cabinet system, when radiographs are needed, a pathology resident or biomedical scientist must arrange an appointment, transport the specimen to a mammography suite, and collaborate with a radiologist to obtain the necessary image. This process is not only time-consuming but also disrupts workflow and adds to the cost and labour.

Specimen radiography systems eliminate these inefficiencies. Enabling in-room imaging, pathologists can identify where to sample/ take blocks from more efficiently, reducing the need for re-examinations and additional testing. It also enables seamless access to the images for pathologists and surgeons, who can easily consult with radiologists for second opinions by sharing the images electronically. This reduces the need for physical specimen transfers and further streamlines the diagnostic process, saving valuable time and resources.

A similar study on postoperative radiographic imaging calculated cost savings of approximately $146 per mastectomy, along with a statistically significant decrease in pathology report turnaround time. The average turnaround time for pathology reports dropped from 4.2 to 3.8 days, reflecting the positive impact of this technology on lab efficiency. ⁽³⁾ This not only speeds up diagnosis but also enhances patient care by facilitating quicker decision-making.

By incorporating advanced specimen radiography systems into pathology labs, healthcare providers can optimise their diagnostic workflows, reduce costs, and enhance patient outcomes, all while fostering greater collaboration among medical professionals.

Explore Solas OR XL specially designed for large specimens in pathology labs.

Reducing Patient Re-Excision Rates in Breast Surgery – Role of in-room specimen radiography system in Achieving Clear Margins

In breast-conserving surgery (BCS), where the goal is to remove cancerous tissue while preserving as much healthy breast tissue as possible, the accuracy of the initial surgery is critical. However, achieving clear margins often proves challenging, frequently necessitating additional surgeries, or re-excisions. This can be both distressing for patients and financially burdensome for both patients and healthcare systems. Re-excision rates due to positive or close margins range from 20% to 60%, posing a persistent problem for both clinicians and patients undergoing BCS. ⁽⁴⁾

Specimen radiography in the operating room allows surgeons to immediately view high-resolution images of the excised tissue providing insights into whether all cancerous tissue has been successfully removed allowing for real-time verification of clear margins. This capability significantly reduces the likelihood of re-excision. According to research on the effect of in-theatre intra-operative specimen radiography (IOSR) system on the management of palpable breast cancer, intraoperative specimen radiography can lower re-excision rates, improving surgical outcomes and minimizing the need for additional surgeries. ⁽⁵⁾

Moreover, specimen radiography allows surgeons to assess clear margins without having to send the specimen to radiology. This delay often results in additional surgeries if the margins are found to be inadequate. The ability to make these assessments in the operating room drastically improves surgical efficiency and reduces the physical and emotional burden on patients.

Discover how Solas OR designed for operating rooms can enhance surgical accuracy, reduce re-excision rates, and improve patient outcomes in breast-conserving surgery.

The Future

As the field of breast cancer treatment continues to advance, the future of specimen radiography is increasingly intertwined with emerging technologies like advanced decision-support tools. In addition to advances in imaging, the future of specimen radiography will likely see greater use of decision-support tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms. These tools can analyze complex data offering surgeons, radiologists and pathologists’ predictive insights and recommendations based on large datasets and historical outcomes.

The future of specimen radiography could see its applications broadened to other types of cancer surgeries and other non-medical procedures. As these technologies develop, specimen radiography will play an even more critical role in healthcare’s future, setting new standards in diagnostics and treatment.

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