Article
Intra-operative molecular spectroscopy of brain metastases
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Authors
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Gerald Steiner
- Technische Universität Dresden, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Klinisches Sensoring und Monitoring, Dresden, Deutschland
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Roberta Galli
- Technische Universität Dresden, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Klinisches Sensoring und Monitoring, Dresden, Deutschland
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Ortrud Uckermann
- Technische Universität Dresden, Universitätsklinikum, Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Dresden, Deutschland
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Matthias Meinhardt
- Technische Universität Dresden, Universitätsklinikum, Institut für Pathologie, Dresden, Deutschland
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Edmund Koch
- Technische Universität Dresden, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Klinisches Sensoring und Monitoring, Dresden, Deutschland
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Gabriele Schackert
- Technische Universität Dresden, Universitätsklinikum, Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Dresden, Deutschland
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Matthias Kirsch
- Technische Universität Dresden, Universitätsklinikum, Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Dresden, Deutschland
| Published: | June 9, 2017 |
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Outline
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Objective: The translation of analytical methods into clinical applications is a current process driven by the requirements of molecular and individualized medicine. Currently, molecular spectroscopy, in particular infrared and Raman spectroscopy, complements the standard method for tissue diagnostics, in particular for the intra-operative use. In this contribution we demonstrate that infrared spectroscopy as a special method of molecular spectroscopy can be used to classify brain metastases based on the biochemical composition of the tissue
Methods: A portable infrared spectrometer was for used for a quick diagnostic performed during the operative resection of brain tumors. In this study, infrared absorption spectra of freshly resected tissue were collected using the attenuated total reflection configuration. No sample preparation was performed. The "water-free" spectral range from 1000 0150–1400 cm-1 was used to classify the tissue. Currently, samples from more than 75 patients with different metastases were analyzed, classified and compared with histological assignment.
Results: A general marker band for primary tumor tissue and metastases arises from RNA. Tumor cells have a high proliferation rate and exhibit significantly stronger RNA signals. The symmetric and antisymmetric stretching vibrations of phosphate groups from nucleic acids are located between 1040 and 1270 cm-1. In spectra of metastases, the band at 1080 cm-1 becomes stronger, which can be attributed to increased levels of RNA in the cells. This variance is expected to be higher in fresh samples, as RNA is degraded by enzymes within hours of cell death. Normal tissue exhibits a higher content of glycolipids which show a series of strong signals in spectral region between 1020 and 1250 cm-1. Moreover the absorption bands of lipids as well as of proteins exhibit slight but significant variances between different types of metastases.
Conclusion: The spectroscopic analysis of freshly resected tissue allows the identification and classification of metastases within few second and without any preparation steps. The spectral classification was always in agreement with the histological assignment. In this study, we show that infrared spectroscopy can be used as a tool for a quick analysis of tissue in intra-operational settings.
