Na⁺ Micro-Current Value Detection as a New Modality for Identification of Benign and Malignant Disease in Surgery

Increase of intracellular positive ions (mainly Na⁺) indicates greater possibility of cell malignancy. The present study investigated the correlation between the Na⁺ micro-current value (MCV) and tissue characteristics (normal, benign or malignant). 346 tissue samples have been detected within 30 min after surgical isolation by Na detector. MCV in 102 malignant tumor was significantly higher than that in benign/borderline tumor or normal tissue (33.3 ± 8.9 μ4A vs. 24.4 ± 8.6 μ4A and 14.0 ± 4.0 μ4A, p < 0.001, respectively). MCV in malignant tumor parenchyma was significantly higher than that in the paired paracanceroustissue, normal tissue and surgical margin tissue (33.3 ± 8.9 μ4A vs. 18.9 ± 4.1, 14.2 ± 4.0 or 15.2 ± 3.3, p < 0.001, respectively). However, the coincidence rate between Na⁺ detector and pathological examination was different in tissues from different organs or systems, which was high in pancreas, bile duct system, gastrointestinal system, esophagus, breasts, lungs, nose &throat and thyroids, but poor in urinary tissue. The overall coincidence rate was 83.1% (108/130) between Na⁺ detector and pathological examination. The sensitivity and specificity of correct diagnosis by Na⁺ detector was 83.3% (70/84) and 82.6% (38/46), respectively. This new modality may have diagnostic potential in complementing frozen examination in differentiating malignant tumor from benign or normal tissue, justifying tumor metastatic scope and confirming surgical margin.