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| Figure 3: Metastatic Lymph Node (a)-(c) Representative spectral reflectance images of the lymph node along with the surrounding fatty tissues isolated from rat model. Scale bars = 1mm. As can be seen from the images and from the accompanying graph (d), the reflectance signal has maxima at 500nm and 620 nm. The plot shown is an average of refl ectance profi les from 12 animals (Mean ± SEM). The figure (d) also shows that there is no significant difference in the observed spectral reflectance profile even when live cells (1x106 cancer cells) were injected into the lymph node tissues ex vivo. (e) Average In vivo fluorescence profiles (n= 14 rats) obtained after injecting 10% fluorescein dye under the nipple. The comparison of fluorescein profile between normal and tumor-associated lymphatics showed no observable difference. However, when 1% lymphazurin dye was injected under the nipple instead of fluorescein, there was an observable difference in spectral reflectance profiles in the normal lymph nodes in vivo (f) See main text for more details. |
