Stimulated Raman Histology and Artificial Intelligence Provide Near Real-Time Interpretation of Radical Prostatectomy Surgical Margins

Abstract

PURPOSE: Balancing surgical margins and functional outcomes is crucial during radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Stimulated Raman histology (SRH) is a novel, real-time imaging technique that provides histologic images of fresh, unprocessed, and unstained tissue within minutes, which can be interpreted by either humans or artificial intelligence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two participants underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) with intraoperative SRH surgical bed assessment. Surgeons resected and imaged surgical bed tissue using SRH and adjusted treatment accordingly. An SRH convolutional neural network was developed and tested on 10 consecutive participants. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the surgical team's interpretation were compared with final histopathologic assessment. RESULTS: < .005), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SRH demonstrates potential as a valuable tool for real-time intraoperative assessment of surgical margins during RALP. This technique may improve nerve-sparing surgery and facilitate decision-making for further resection, reducing the risk of positive surgical margins and minimizing the risk of recurrence. Further studies with larger cohorts and longer follow-up periods are warranted to confirm the benefits of SRH in RALP.