Accurate in vivo tumor detection using plasmonic-enhanced shifted-excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS)

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Cancer Research
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Surgery is the primary cancer treatment, requiring precise tumor removal.
• Current methods lack effective intraoperative imaging, relying on visual and physical tumor identification.
• Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) offers non-invasive optical tumor detection but requires dark environments, limiting surgical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel method for intraoperative tumor detection.
• To overcome the ambient light limitations of traditional Raman spectroscopy in surgical settings.
• To improve the accuracy and robustness of in vivo Raman/SERS applications for clinical translation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized SERS nanoprobes in conjunction with shifted-excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS) detection.
• Applied the SERDS-SERS method for in vivo tumor detection in a xenograft murine model.
• Compared the performance of SERDS with traditional Raman detection under ambient light conditions.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the first successful in vivo tumor detection using SERDS in a murine model under ambient light.
• Showcased improved sensitivity and accuracy of SERDS compared to traditional Raman detection for tumor identification.
• Validated the feasibility of using SERDS for real-time, non-invasive intraoperative tumor visualization.

Conclusions:

• SERDS combined with SERS nanoprobes provides an effective solution for intraoperative tumor detection in ambient light.
• This technology enhances the accuracy and robustness of in vivo Raman/SERS applications.
• The findings support the clinical translation of advanced optical techniques for improved cancer surgery outcomes.