Instant laser imaging could guide brain surgeons

Researchers at Waterloo Engineering have taken an important step in the development of a microscope to precisely guide doctors during surgery to remove brain tumors.

For the first time, they used laser imaging technology to almost instantly identify cancerous tissue with accuracy comparable to laboratory tests that take up to two weeks.

“That opens up an extremely promising path towards our ultimate goal - a non-contact, surgical microscope that in real-time can guide doctors towards very safe, maximal resection with no waiting,” said Parsin Haji Reza, a professor of systems design engineering and director of the PhotoMedicine Labs at Waterloo.