Raman Spectroscopy and Microscopy Applications in Cardiovascular Diseases: From Molecules to Organs

Noninvasive and label-free vibrational spectroscopy and microscopy methods have shown great potential for clinical diagnosis applications. Raman spectroscopy is based on inelastic light scattering due to rotational and vibrational modes of molecular bonds. It has been shown that Raman spectra provide chemical signatures of changes in biological tissues in different diseases, and this technique can be employed in label-free monitoring and clinical diagnosis of several diseases, including cardiovascular studies. However, there are very few literature reviews available to summarize the state of art and future applications of Raman spectroscopy in cardiovascular diseases, particularly cardiac hypertrophy. In addition to conventional clinical approaches such as electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound), positron emission tomography (PET), cardiac computed tomography (CT), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), applications of vibrational spectroscopy and microscopy will provide invaluable information useful for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Various in vivo and ex vivo investigations can potentially be performed using Raman imaging to study and distinguish pathological and physiological cardiac hypertrophies and understand the mechanisms of other cardiac diseases. Here, we have reviewed the recent literature on Raman spectroscopy to study cardiovascular diseases covering investigations on the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ level.

Download Full-text

Introduction to Infrared and Raman-Based Biomedical Molecular Imaging and Comparison with Other Modalities

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25235547 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (23) ◽

pp. 5547

Author(s):

Carlos F. G. C. Geraldes

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Molecular Imaging ◽

Single Photon ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Photon Emission ◽

Raman Imaging ◽

Emission Computed Tomography ◽

Label Free ◽

Advantages And Disadvantages

Molecular imaging has rapidly developed to answer the need of image contrast in medical diagnostic imaging to go beyond morphological information to include functional differences in imaged tissues at the cellular and molecular levels. Vibrational (infrared (IR) and Raman) imaging has rapidly emerged among the molecular imaging modalities available, due to its label-free combination of high spatial resolution with chemical specificity. This article presents the physical basis of vibrational spectroscopy and imaging, followed by illustration of their preclinical in vitro applications in body fluids and cells, ex vivo tissues and in vivo small animals and ending with a brief discussion of their clinical translation. After comparing the advantages and disadvantages of IR/Raman imaging with the other main modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography/single-photon emission-computed tomography (PET/SPECT), ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI), the design of multimodal probes combining vibrational imaging with other modalities is discussed, illustrated by some preclinical proof-of-concept examples.

Download Full-text

Functional Brain Imaging With Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610297004924 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 9 (S1) ◽

pp. 223-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Gunhild Waldemar ◽

Peter Høgh ◽

Olaf B. Paulson

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Clinical Diagnosis ◽

Single Photon ◽

Photon Emission ◽

Emission Computed Tomography ◽

Single Photon Emission ◽

Emission Computed ◽

Single Photon Emission Computed ◽

Photon Emission Computed Tomography

High-resolution single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with brain-retained technetium-99m (99mTc)–labeled tracers may be used for 3-dimensional measurements of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). This article summarizes important findings in SPECT studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD). There are three distinct potential applications of SPECT in diagnosing AD: (a) as a diagnostic adjunct in patients with mild cognitive or behavioral symptoms, suggesting a possible dementia disorder; (b) as a diagnostic adjunct for demented patients in whom the history, physical examination, and laboratory studies are in agreement with a diagnosis of probable AD; and (c) for determining the relative contributions of degenerative and vascular pathology to the clinical picture in demented patients with mixed disease. A clinical diagnosis of probable AD is associated with focal perfusion deficits as measured by SPECT. Characteristically, hypoperfusion is observed in the frontal and temporoparietal association areas, whereas other brain regions are relatively spared. The changes are present in the early phases of AD. The topography of rCBF deficits displays a marked heterogeneity among patients and correlates with cognitive profiles. In patients with mild cognitive complaints, the presence of focal hypoperfusion on SPECT may increase the accuracy of the diagnosis by confirming the presence of brain disease. In patients with probable AD, the presence of temporoparietal rCBF deficits on SPECT increases the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis, in particular when associated with medial temporal lobe atrophy on cranial X-ray computed tomography (CT). The role of SPECT in diagnosing patients with mixed disease remains to be clarified.

Download Full-text