Stanford researchers develop new Spectroscopy technique

A team of researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine has developed a new type of imaging system that can depict tumours in living subjects with a precision of around one-trillionth of a meter. The technique is called Raman Spectroscopy. This is the first time the technology is being used to see deep within the body.

The research was led by Dr Sanjiv Gambhir, Director, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS). When laser light is beamed from a source outside the body, the specialised particles emit signals that can be measured and converted into a visible indicator of their location in the body. These signals are strong and long-lived and the kind of particles utilised in this method can transmit information about multiple types of molecular targets at the same time. It finely detects small biochemical details more than one target at a time and it is cheap and easy to use.

The researchers carried out successful experiments on mice by injecting them with tagged nanoparticles. They then tracked the progress of the particles, which homed in on different tumour cells.

The Raman Effect lasts for ever; hence the particles don't lose effectiveness as indicators as long as they stay in the body. The technique can be potentially used during surgery, for example, in the removal of cancerous tissue. The extreme sensitivity of the imager can facilitate detection of even the tiniest of malignant tissues.