Spatial autocorrelation of Mueller matrix images as indicator of cervical pre-cancer detection

摘要

An autocorrelation study has been conducted on Mueller matrix images of stromal region of cervical tissue sections for early cancer detection. Changes in multiple scattering and deterioration of stromal architecture through their spatial autocorrelation maps are observed among healthy and various grades of cervical precancerous tissues. Autocorrelation maps of diagonal elements reflects increasing depolarization property while the disease progresses. These maps of Mueller elements governing polariance, di-attenuation and birefringence properties qualitatively establish a demarcation of different grades of cancer from normal tissue. Moreover, spatial autocorrelation on optical parameters like circular di-attenuation, liner and linear-45 di-attenuation along with circular birefringence is decreasing with the evolution of cervical cancer. These preliminary results about the stromal biology are very promising in the early detection of cervical cancer.