Title:Role of Infrared Spectroscopy and Imaging in Cancer Diagnosis
Volume: 25
Issue: 9
Author(s): Saroj Kumar*, Alagiri Srinivasan and Fredrik Nikolajeff
Affiliation:
- Berzelii Technology Centre of Neurodiagnostic, Department of Engineering Science, Uppsala University, Uppsala,Sweden
Keywords:
Infrared imaging, cancers, diagnosis, therapeutic drugs, FTIR.
Abstract: Background: Cancer is a major global health issue. It causes extensive individual suffering
and gives a huge burden on the health care in society. Despite extensive research and different tools
have been developed it still remains a challenge for early detection of this disease. FTIR imaging has
been used to diagnose and differentiate the molecular differences between normal and diseased tissues.
Methods: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is able to measure biochemical changes in
tissue, cell and biofluids based on the vibrational signature of their components. This technique enables
to the distribution and structure of lipids, proteins, nucleic acids as well as other metabolites.
These differences depended on the type and the grade of cancer.
Results: We emphasize here, that the FTIR spectroscopy and imaging can be considered as a promising
technique and will find its place on the detection of this dreadful disease because of high sensitivity,
accuracy and inexpensive technique. Now the medical community started using and accepting this
technique for early stage cancer detection. We discussed this technique and the several challenges in
its application for the diagnosis of cancer in regards of sample preparations, data interpretation, and
data analysis. The sensitivity of chemotherapy drugs on individual specific has also discussed.
Conclusion: So far progressed has done with the FTIR imaging in understanding of cancer disease
pathology. However, more research is needed in this field and it is necessary to understand the morphology
and biology of the sample before using the spectroscopy and imaging because invaluable information
to be figured out.