System and method for cytological analysis by raman spectroscopic imaging

A system comprising:

• a monochromatic illumination source;
• a spectroscopic device;
• an imaging device;
• a fluid manipulating device;
• a machine readable program code containing executable program instructions;
• and
• a processor operatively coupled to said monochromatic illumination source, said spectroscopic device, said imaging device and said fluid manipulating device and configured to execute said machine readable program code so as to perform the following:
• configure said monochromatic illumination source to irradiate cells suspended in a fluid with substantially monochromatic light;
• configure said spectroscopic device to obtain a Raman data set from said irradiated cells, wherein said Raman data set characterizes a disease status of said irradiated cells;
• assess said Raman data set obtained by said spectroscopic device so as to identify diseased cells;
• configure said imaging device to obtain a Raman chemical image of said irradiated cells;
• and
• configure said fluid manipulating device to differentially manipulate the fluid in which the cells are suspended based on the assessment and said Raman chemical image, wherein said fluid manipulating device is further configured to direct said diseased cells to a first location and other non-diseased cells to a second location as part of said differential manipulation.

A system comprising:

• means to irradiate cells suspended in a fluid with substantially monochromatic light;
• means to obtain a Raman data set from said irradiated cells, wherein said Raman data set characterizes a disease status of said irradiated cells;
• means to assess said Raman data set obtained by said spectroscopic device so as to identify diseased cells;
• means to obtain a Raman chemical image of said irradiated cells;
• means to differentially manipulate the fluid in which the cells are suspended based on the assessment and said Raman chemical image;
• and
• means to direct said diseased cells to a first location and other non-diseased cells to a second location as part of said differential manipulation.

A storage medium containing machine readable program code, which, when executed by a processor, causes said processor to perform the following:

• configure a monochromatic illumination source to irradiate cells suspended in a fluid with substantially monochromatic light;
• configure a spectroscopic device to obtain a Raman data set from said irradiated cells, wherein said Raman data set characterizes a disease status of said irradiated cells;
• assess said Raman data set obtained by said spectroscopic device so as to identify diseased cells;
• configure an imaging device to obtain a Raman chemical image of said irradiated cells;
• and
• configure a fluid manipulating device to differentially manipulate the fluid in which the cells are suspended based on the assessment and said Raman chemical image;
• and
• further configure said fluid manipulating device to direct said diseased cells to a first location and other non-diseased cells to a second location as part of said differential manipulation.

A method comprising:

• irradiating cells suspended in a fluid with substantially monochromatic light;
• assessing a Raman data set obtained from said irradiated cells and characteristic of a disease status thereof to identify diseased cells;
• differentially manipulating the fluid in which the cells are suspended based on the assessment, wherein said diseased cells are directed to a first location and other non-diseased cells are directed to a second location as part of said differential manipulation;
• and
• treating the diseased cells with one or more of the following stresses:
• a physical stress, a chemical stress, and a biological stress.