Hand-held micro-raman based detection instrument and method of detection

A method for detecting a target pathogen using Raman-based spectroscopic analysis comprising:

• providing a Raman spectroscopic instrument comprising a housing having a head portion and an end effector, the end effector comprising a disposable speculum that comprises
• a base detachably secured to the head portion of the housing and a tip having an aperture formed therethrough, the disposable speculum tapering from the base to the tip;
• and
• a filter located at the aperture, an optical window located near the base, and a port coupled to the end effector for drawing a sample through the filter and onto the optical window by vacuum;
• transmitting, by the Raman spectroscopic instrument, a coherent light beam onto a sample to generate a Raman-shifted sample signal;
• filtering, by the Raman spectroscopic instrument, the Raman-shifted sample signal to simultaneously isolate a plurality of narrow spectral bands based on a predetermined set of discrete spectral bands for a target pathogen to generate a filtered Raman-shifted sample signal;
• generating, by the Raman spectroscopic instrument, image data representative of the filtered Raman-shifted sample signal;
• analyzing, by the Raman spectroscopic instrument, the image data at the discrete spectral bands to detect the presence of the target pathogen;
• comparing, by the Raman spectroscopic instrument, the image data with a baseline Raman spectrum;
• and
• displaying, by the Raman spectroscopic instrument, a positive result when the comparison of the image data with the baseline Raman spectrum indicates a match.

A method for detecting a target pathogen using a hand held spectroscope comprising:

• providing the hand held spectroscope comprising a housing having a head portion and an end effector, the end effector comprising a disposable speculum that comprises
• a base detachably secured to the head portion of the housing and a tip having an aperture formed therethrough, the disposable speculum tapering from the base to the tip;
• and
• a filter located at the aperture, an optical window located near the base, and a port coupled to the end effector for drawing a sample through the filter and onto the optical window by vacuum;
• transmitting, by the hand held spectroscope, a coherent light beam from a laser in the housing along an optical path through the aperture and onto a sample to generate a Raman-shifted sample signal;
• receiving, by the hand held spectroscope, the Raman-shifted sample signal through the aperture;
• filtering, by the hand held spectroscope, the Raman-shifted sample signal to simultaneously isolate a plurality of narrow spectral bands based on a predetermined set of discrete spectral bands for a target pathogen to generate a filtered Raman-shifted sample signal;
• projecting, by the hand held spectroscope, the filtered Raman-shifted sample signal onto an imager in the spectroscope housing to generate image data representative of the filtered Raman-shifted sample signal;
• analyzing, by the hand held spectroscope, the image data at the discrete spectral bands to detect the presence of the target pathogen;
• comparing, by the hand held spectroscope, the image data with a baseline Raman spectrum;
• and
• displaying, by the hand held spectroscope, a positive result when the comparison of the image data with the baseline Raman spectrum indicates a match.