Raman Spectroscopy in the Diagnosis of Brain Gliomas: A Literature Review

Raman spectroscopy (RS) is increasingly applied in medical fields to distinguish neoplastic from normal tissues, with recent advancements enabling its use in neurosurgery. This review explores RS as a diagnostic and surgical aid for brain gliomas, detailing its various modalities and applications. Through a comprehensive search in databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and eLibrary, over 300 references were screened, resulting in 74 articles that met inclusion criteria. Key findings reveal RS's potential in neuro-oncology for examining native biopsy specimens, frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues, and body fluids, as well as performing intraoperative assessments. RS offers promise for identifying gliomas, differentiating them from healthy brain tissue, and establishing precise tumor boundaries during resection.