Using Raman Spectroscopy To Detect Malignant Changes In Tissues

Accurate, rapid and non-invasive detection and diagnosis of malignant disease in tissues is an important goal of biomedical research. Optical methods, such as diffuse reflectance, fluorescence spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, have all been investigated as ways to attain this goal. Diffuse reflectance utilizes the absorption and scattering properties of tissues, particularly from cell nuclei and stroma. Changes in the scattering properties of tissues arise as the tissue becomes more dysplastic due to variations in hemoglobin content and neovascularization. Fluorescence spectroscopy is also influenced by the changes in the optical properties of tissues and has been used to diagnose dysplasia. However, there are a number of disadvantages to these techniques, including the need for extensive sample preparation or excision, as well as low sensitivity and specificity rates.

Many research groups have instead used Raman spectroscopy to detect and diagnose disease in vivo without the need for tissue removal or the addition of exogenous agents. Raman spectroscopy, a method based on Raman scattering, is a powerful technique that can be applied to many tissue sites. Raman spectroscopy is a molecular-specific technique that probes the vibrational or rotational transitions in chemical bonds and provides detailed information about the biochemical composition of a sample. The sensitivity of this technique is so high that a Raman spectrum is effectively a precise fingerprint of the biochemical makeup of the tissue.