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Raman spectroscopy for cancer detection: instrument development and tissue diagnosis

Raman spectroscopy can provide quantitative molecular information about the biochemical composition of human tissues exhibiting various stages of disease. Fluorescence interference is ubiquitous in Raman spectra of biological samples excited with visible light. However, it can be avoided by using near-infrared (NIR) or ultraviolet (UV) excitation. We are exploring the potential of these methods for detecting precancerous/cancerous changes in human tissues. The NIR studies use 830 nm excitation from a Ti:sapphire laser. Raman signals are collected by an imaging spectrograph/deep-depletion CCD detection system. High quality tissue spectra can be obtained in a few seconds or less. The UV resonance Raman studies employ wavelengths below 300 nm for selective excitation of nucleic acids, proteins and lipids. Excitation is provided by a frequency tripled/quadrupled mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser, and Raman light is collected by a one meter spectrograph/UV-enhanced CCD detector. The two systems can be coupled to appropriate microscopes for extracting morphological and biochemical information at the cellular level, which is important for understanding the origin of the Raman spectra of bulk tissue. The results of the initial studies for cancer detection in various human tissues are reported here.