357
13 Vibrational Spectroscopy: Disease Diagnostics and Beyond
[16]. Applications to tissue samples for (cancer) diagnostic applications were first
reported in the early 1990s [17], and since this time a range of pathologies has been
investigated [18–20]. the application of Raman spectroscopy to biomolecules and
even tissues was first demonstrated as early as the 1960s [21–23] and by the mid
1970s biomedical applications were explored [24]. Whole cell and tissue studies
have been carried out on a range of pathologies [25–29] and in vivo studies [30–32]
have demonstrated the prospective for diagnostic applications. the potential of vibrational spectroscopy in conjunction with multivariate analysis techniques as a
diagnostic tool has thus been well demonstrated and the concept of Spectral Cytopathology has been coined [33].
this chapter is based on the experience of the research activities within the Focas
Research Institute, dublin Institute of technology, and outlines efforts and progress in the applications of both Raman and infrared spectroscopy for the routine
screening of disease as well as the understanding disease origin. It further describes
studies demonstrating the potential of the techniques for in vitro diagnostics and
biochemical analyses, for example of the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents and
the interaction of nanoparticles in cells.
13.2 Vibrational Spectroscopy for Cervical Cancer
Pathology [34]
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide and
generally is more common in developing countries. however, substantial decreases
in cervical cancer mortality have been observed in Western countries and some
developing countries with well developed screening programmes [35]. A Papanicolaou test (Pap smear test) is used to screen for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia
(CIN) and cervical cancer in the general female population. Such cervical cytology
can have a high specificity of 95–98 % but a sensitivity of lower than 50 % [36].
other methods such as automated cytology and human papilloma virus (hPv) testing [37–39] have been introduced to reduce the false negative rates. An abnormal
Pap smear is followed by colposcopic examination, biopsy and histological confirmation of the clinical diagnosis. this involves the visual examination of histological sections. the grading characteristics are quite subjective and pre-malignancy
may not be visually perceptible at all.
optical technologies such as fluorescence spectroscopy [40], polarised light
scattering spectroscopy [41], optical coherence tomography [42, 43] and confocal
reflectance microscopy [44] have emerged in recent years as promising tools for
diagnosis of cervical and other cancers. the potential of vibrational spectroscopy
for cervical cancer diagnosis has also been recognised. A number of studies have
shown that Fourier transform Infra Red (FtIR) spectroscopy [45–47] or Raman
spectroscopy [32, 48] can be used for detecting spectral changes in malignant and
pre-malignant cells. Raman spectroscopy is, however, more suited to in vivo studies because of minimal interference from water. Coupled with adapted multivariate
13 Vibrational Spectroscopy: Disease Diagnostics and Beyond
[16]. Applications to tissue samples for (cancer) diagnostic applications were first
reported in the early 1990s [17], and since this time a range of pathologies has been
investigated [18–20]. the application of Raman spectroscopy to biomolecules and
even tissues was first demonstrated as early as the 1960s [21–23] and by the mid
1970s biomedical applications were explored [24]. Whole cell and tissue studies
have been carried out on a range of pathologies [25–29] and in vivo studies [30–32]
have demonstrated the prospective for diagnostic applications. the potential of vibrational spectroscopy in conjunction with multivariate analysis techniques as a
diagnostic tool has thus been well demonstrated and the concept of Spectral Cytopathology has been coined [33].
this chapter is based on the experience of the research activities within the Focas
Research Institute, dublin Institute of technology, and outlines efforts and progress in the applications of both Raman and infrared spectroscopy for the routine
screening of disease as well as the understanding disease origin. It further describes
studies demonstrating the potential of the techniques for in vitro diagnostics and
biochemical analyses, for example of the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents and
the interaction of nanoparticles in cells.
13.2 Vibrational Spectroscopy for Cervical Cancer
Pathology [34]
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide and
generally is more common in developing countries. however, substantial decreases
in cervical cancer mortality have been observed in Western countries and some
developing countries with well developed screening programmes [35]. A Papanicolaou test (Pap smear test) is used to screen for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia
(CIN) and cervical cancer in the general female population. Such cervical cytology
can have a high specificity of 95–98 % but a sensitivity of lower than 50 % [36].
other methods such as automated cytology and human papilloma virus (hPv) testing [37–39] have been introduced to reduce the false negative rates. An abnormal
Pap smear is followed by colposcopic examination, biopsy and histological confirmation of the clinical diagnosis. this involves the visual examination of histological sections. the grading characteristics are quite subjective and pre-malignancy
may not be visually perceptible at all.
optical technologies such as fluorescence spectroscopy [40], polarised light
scattering spectroscopy [41], optical coherence tomography [42, 43] and confocal
reflectance microscopy [44] have emerged in recent years as promising tools for
diagnosis of cervical and other cancers. the potential of vibrational spectroscopy
for cervical cancer diagnosis has also been recognised. A number of studies have
shown that Fourier transform Infra Red (FtIR) spectroscopy [45–47] or Raman
spectroscopy [32, 48] can be used for detecting spectral changes in malignant and
pre-malignant cells. Raman spectroscopy is, however, more suited to in vivo studies because of minimal interference from water. Coupled with adapted multivariate