Assessment of Morphological Changes in Breast Cancer Cells Following X-Ray Radiation Utilizing Digital Holographic Microscopy

Abstract

Purpose: Digital holographic microscopy, being a label-free and entirely non-invasive technique, proficiently facilitates the quantitative assessment of morphological alterations in living cells. The primary objective of this investigation is to scrutinize the capability of a digital holographic microscope in assessing the morphological transformations of cancer cells exposed to X-ray radiation.

Materials and Methods: The Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF7) cell line underwent exposure to X-ray radiation, administered in a singular fraction at a dose of 2 Gy. Subsequently, the MCF7 cell group was subjected to imaging through a digital holographic microscope. To scrutinize the morphological alterations between the radiation-exposed and control groups, the pertinent image parameters were extracted through the three-dimensional reconstruction of the microscopic images.

Results: The results indicate a significant increase in the morphological parameters of cells, encompassing volume, and roughness, subsequent to radiation exposure when contrasted with the control group. This observation signifies discernible alterations in the shape and roughness characteristics of MCF7 cells.

Conclusion: By extracting various parameters and broadening the spectrum of morphological and physical attributes, it becomes feasible to establish a more precise correlation between cellular conditions and the response to treatment. Such investigations pave the way for a more intricate exploration of cell morphology, enabling the identification of more specific parameters and distinctions in cellular response.