How Digistain Works?
Digistain® works biologically downstream using a proprietary method to measure markers at the protein level to deliver a robust and personalised risk score for cancer therapy guidance
The Science Behind Digistain
Digistain utilises infrared spectrometry to analyse the composition of tumour biopsies, and predict the likelihood of cancer spreading. Infrared spectrometry is commonly used by chemists to deduce the chemical structure of large molecules. It is also used in various other fields of science and technology including chemical analysis, environmental monitoring, material characterisation, forensic analysis, and astronomical studies.
How Does Infrared Spectrometry Work?
Different chemical groups in a biomolecule absorb infrared light at very specific wavelengths. As the light passes through or reflects off the sample, certain wavelengths are absorbed, while others pass through. This absorption creates a unique pattern, known as an infrared spectrum, which is a graph showing the amount of light absorbed at each wavelength.
The peaks on the spectrum represent wavelengths where absorption occurs, corresponding to specific vibrations of chemical bonds within the molecule. By analysing these peaks, scientists can identify the functional groups present in a biomolecule. This allows them to determine its molecular structure and composition by acting as a molecular “fingerprint”, enabling precise identification of the biomolecule based on its unique vibrational characteristics.
By analysing wavelengths that are known to be absorbed by nucleic acids and cell proteins. This imaging approach enables Digistain to measure chemical concentrations associated with tumour malignancy, precisely determine the characteristics of cancer cells and quantify validated pathology markers correlated to tumour proliferation.
How Does the Digistain Test Work?
Using infrared spectrometry, Digistain captures a unique spectral signature from each biopsy and performs analysis on over 10,000 data points per biopsy to produce the Digistain Index.
Using this data, Digistain’s proprietary artificial intelligence applies a multivariate model that integrates key clinicopathological factors, such as age, tumor grade, tumor size, and lymph node status. It then identifies risk profiling patterns and computes an accurate risk score – the Digistain Prognostic Score.
The score provides clinicians with a single-digit number predicting the proliferation risk of sample cancer cells to guide diagnosis and adjuvant (post-surgery) chemotherapy decision-making.
H&E Stained
DIGISTAIN® Optical Scan
Image on the left shows traditional H&E staining approach. Image on the right shows Digistain approach with greater tumour contrast and detail enabling higher precision measurement
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