Apparatus and methods for in vivo tissue characterization by raman spectroscopy
AssigneeBritish Columbia Cancer Agency Branch
InventorsHequn Wang, Haishan Zeng, Harvey Lui, Jianhua Zhao
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Abstract
A micro-Raman spectrometer system for use in differentiating tumor lesions from normal skin detects specific characteristics of Raman spectra indicative of cancer. A peak at 899 cm−1 and a higher intensity region in the 1325 cm−1 to 1330 cm−1 range indicate the presence of tumors. The spectrometer system may be applied for skin cancer detection and for mapping the margins of lesions. Cancer detection methods as described herein have achieved diagnostic sensitivity of 95.8% and specificity of 93.8%.
Claims32
Apparatus for tissue characterization, the apparatus comprising:
- a confocal Raman spectrometer configured to generate a Raman spectrum;
- a Raman spectrum analysis unit configured to determine at least one characteristic of the Raman spectrum, the at least one characteristic including one or more of:
- a first characteristic based on a magnitude of a peak at a wavenumber of 899±10 cm−1;
- and
- a second characteristic based on comparison of the intensity of the Raman spectrum in a first range within a wavenumber band from 1240±10 cm−1 to 1269±10 cm−1 to the intensity in a second range within a wavenumber band from 1269±10 cm−1 to 1340±10 cm−1;
- and
- an indicator device driven in response to the at least one characteristic.
A method for tissue characterization comprising:
- obtaining at least one Raman spectrum of a tissue;
- in a programmed spectrum analysis unit comprising a data processor executing software instructions, determining at least one characteristic of the
- a first characteristic based on a magnitude of the intensity of the Raman spectrum at a wavenumber of 899±10 cm−1;
- and
- a second characteristic based on a comparison of the intensity of the Raman spectrum in a first range within a wavenumber band from 1240±10 cm−1 to 1269±10 cm−1 to the intensity in a second range within a wavenumber band from 1269±10 cm−1 to 1340±10 cm−1;
- and
- generating an indication in response to the measured at least one characteristic.
A non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions for execution by at least one data-processor that, when executed by the data-processor cause the data processor to execute a method for characterizing tissue comprising the steps of:
- receiving at least one Raman spectrum of a tissue;
- measuring at least one characteristic of the Raman spectrum, the at least one characteristic comprising one or more of:
- a first characteristic based on a magnitude of the intensity of the Raman spectrum at a wavenumber of 899±10 cm−1;
- and
- a second characteristic based on a comparison of the intensity of the Raman spectrum in a first range within a wavenumber band from 1240±10 cm−1 to 1269±10 cm—1 to the intensity in a second range within a wavenumber band from 1269±10 cm−1 to 1340±10 cm−1;
- characterizing the tissue in response to the measured at least one characteristic;
- and
- generating an indication of the characterization of the tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.