Pilot study of intraoperative digital imaging with the use of a mammograph for assessment of bone surgical margins in the head and neck region

AimTo investigate alternative possibilities for the intraoperative evaluation of surgical margins after bone resection utilizing more conventional hospital infrastructure technologies.Materials and methodsA small pilot study was performed using digital mammograph imaging intraoperatively on 16 surgical specimens of bone tumours or malignancies with bone infiltration of the head and neck area, with the aim of evaluating the resection margins.ResultsIn thirteen cases the intraoperative specimen images indicated clinically complete excision. In two cases incomplete resection or close proximity of margins was detected, which required additional resection.ConclusionsThe results indicated that intraoperative specimen radiography can prove useful in evaluating completeness of excision. The significance of intraoperative assessment of surgical margin is of paramount importance when immediate reconstruction is performed. This proposed method is cheap, easy to perform and fast. Its cost–benefit ratio is superior than that of any other available technique. Intraoperative analysis of specimens with digital mammography imaging can potentially become a useful tool for immediate evaluation of osseous margins after resection.