Portable Quantum Sensors for Neurosurgery

Modern medical diagnostics heavily rely on optical measurements, especially for real-time analysis of deep tissue, crucial for tasks like post-cancer surgery monitoring where cancer recurrence is a risk due to leftover malignant cells.

Current image-guided surgery techniques face limitations in resolution and real-time imaging, posing challenges for completely excising tumors while preserving healthy tissue.

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy offers superior depth resolution by measuring the time a fluorophore spends in the excited state before emitting a photon.

This technique minimizes errors from environmental factors and photon scattering in tissue but suffers from limited penetration depth.

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) present a solution due to their high performance in longer wavelengths, enabling greater penetration depth. However, current SNSPDs require substantial cooling and are bulky, making them unsuitable for clinical settings.

The aim is to develop a portable quantum sensor based on SNSPDs, integrated into a time-resolved fluorescence imaging microscope for use in operating rooms.

The prototype will feature a compact cryogenic system for cooling, optimized detectors for efficiency and speed, and software for image analysis.

Made of EU components, the system aims for medical-grade quality, enabling real-time analysis of tumor and healthy tissues during surgery, ultimately improving patient outcomes.