Logo of the company EdgeWave, consisting of the company name in a clean and bold design

Current Project: INTEGER

Intraoperative detection and precise removal of tumor cells in bone

EdgeWave is a partner in the INTEGER project of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT). INTEGER is developing a laser-based system for the intraoperative detection and precise removal of tumor cells in bone. By combining modern sensor technology and assistance methods, tumor resection is intended to become safer and more tissue-conserving. The goal is to improve treatment prospects for affected patients.

Chirurgen im OP

Medical background

Primary tumors of bone tissue occur predominantly in childhood and adolescence. The disease is severe and is associated with a five-year survival rate of only around 70 percent. A key reason for this unfavorable prognosis is that, during surgery, it is currently not possible to reliably detect where individual tumor cells are located within the bone. If such residual cells are overlooked, there is a high risk that the tumor will grow back and continue to spread.

Approach and objectives

To address this problem, the research team is developing an innovative laser-based surgical system. It is intended to enable physicians to remove tumor tissue in bone completely while being especially gentle on surrounding tissue. The core of the approach is a spectroscopic laser that can identify individual tumor cells as well as small tumor cell clusters in the bone during the procedure.
The acquired data is compared with previously generated CT images using artificial intelligence. Based on this, the AI derives instructions for a robot-assisted support system that aids in the surgical guidance of the laser. The actual removal of the tumor is then carried out with a short-pulse laser scalpel whose wavelength is particularly strongly absorbed by bone tissue—an essential requirement for precise and safe cutting.

Innovative Outcomes

By combining intraoperative tumor detection with highly precise laser surgery, a system is created that can remove bone tumors with exceptional completeness. This significantly increases the chances of successful treatment and noticeably improves the long-term outlook for patients.

Project partners

  • Fraunhofer-Institut für Lasertechnik (ILT)
  • FUSE-AI GmbH
  • Neura Robotics GmbH
  • Universitätsklinikum Aachen – Klinik für Orthopädie, Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie

Logo der Nationalen Dekade gegen Krebs

Dieses Projekt wird gefördert im Rahmen der Nationalen Dekade gegen Krebs.