ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy Tools for Medical Diagnosis and Disease Investigation

In pandemic times, like the one we are witnessing for COVID-19, the discussion about new efficient and rapid techniques for diagnosis of diseases is more evident. In this mini-review, we present to the virological scientific community the potential of attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy as a diagnosis technique. Herein, we explain the operation of this technique, as well as its advantages over standard methods. In addition, we also present the multivariate analysis tools that can be used to extract useful information from the data towards classification purposes. Tools such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Successive Projections Algorithm (SPA), Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Linear and Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (LDA and QDA) are covered, including examples of published studies. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy are emphasized, as well as future prospects in this field of study that is only growing. One of the main aims of this paper is to encourage the scientific community to explore the potential of this spectroscopic tool to detect changes in biological samples such as those caused by the presence of viruses.

show abstract

“…This absorption can be detected by the instrument, generating the spectrum. Inspired by reference [35].…”

Section: Atr-ftir Spectroscopymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…detects when it has been absorbed (or transmitted) and provides a spectrum. [4,17,24,35] Fig. 4 shows the process taking place on the ATR crystal.…”

Section: Atr-ftir Spectroscopymentioning

confidence: 99%

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy for virus identification: A powerful alternative

Santos

Morais

Lima

2021

BSI

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Such a measurement is noninvasive and is carried out in situ, in vivo, and in real time. 13,17,[33][34][35][36][37] Measurements done with the FEWS system exhibited differences in the absorption spectra in the mid-IR between malignant skin lesions and healthy tissues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We first used it for the analysis of pollutants in water and then adapted it for measurements on biological systems, including human skin. Such a measurement is noninvasive and is carried out in situ, in vivo, and in real time 13,17,33–37 . Measurements done with the FEWS system exhibited differences in the absorption spectra in the mid‐IR between malignant skin lesions and healthy tissues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technical Note: Noninvasive mid‐IR fiber‐optic evanescent wave spectroscopy (FEWS) for early detection of skin cancers

Basov¹,

Dankner

Weinstein³

et al. 2020

Medical Physics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose Melanoma is the most lethal of the three primary skin cancers, including also basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which are less lethal. The accepted diagnosis process involves manually observing a suspicious lesion through a Dermascope (i.e., a magnifying glass), followed by a biopsy. This process relies on the skill and the experience of a dermatologist. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no accepted automatic, noninvasive, and rapid method for the early detection of the three types of skin cancer, distinguishing between them and noncancerous lesions, and identifying each of them. It is our aim to develop such a system. Methods We developed a fiber‐optic evanescent wave spectroscopy (FEWS) system based on middle infrared (mid‐IR) transmitting AgClBr fibers and a Fourier‐transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). We used the system to perform mid‐IR spectral measurements on suspicious lesions in 90 patients, before biopsy, in situ, and in real time. The lesions were then biopsied and sent for pathology. The spectra were analyzed and the differences between pathological and healthy tissues were found and correlated. Results Five of the lesions measured were identified as melanomas, seven as BCC, and three as SCC. Using mathematical analyses of the spectra of these lesions we were able to tell that all were skin cancers and we found specific and easily identifiable differences between them. Conclusions This FEWS method lends itself to rapid, automatic and noninvasive early detection and characterization of skin cancers. It will be easily implemented in community clinics and has the potential to greatly simplify the diagnosis process.

show abstract

“…In this study, we used ATR‐Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to explore whether Al foil could be an appropriate substrate for spectroscopic investigations. ATR‐FTIR uses an internal reflection element (IRE) with a high refractive index to direct the beam to the sample; an evanescent wave is created, penetrating the sample by a few microns in order to derive its chemical information . A commonly used substrate for ATR‐FTIR measurements is the low‐E slide that has been effectively used in numerous biological studies in the past .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aluminium foil as an alternative substrate for the spectroscopic interrogation of endometrial cancer

Paraskevaidi

Morais

Raglan

et al. 2018

Journal of Biophotonics

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Biospectroscopy has the potential to investigate and characterize biological samples and could, therefore, be utilized to diagnose various diseases in a clinical environment. An important consideration in spectrochemical studies is the cost-effectiveness of the substrate used to support the sample, as high expense would limit their translation into clinic. In this paper, the performance of low-cost aluminium (Al) foil substrates was compared with the commonly used low-emissivity (low-E) slides. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to analyse blood plasma and serum samples from women with endometrial cancer and healthy controls. The 2 populations were differentiated using principal component analysis with support vector machines with 100% sensitivity in plasma samples (endometrial cancer = 70; healthy controls = 15) using both Al foil and low-E slides as substrates. The same sensitivity results (100%) were achieved for serum samples (endometrial cancer = 60; healthy controls = 15). Specificity was found higher using Al foil (90%) in comparison to low-E slides (85%) and lower using Al foil (70%) in comparison to low-E slides in serum samples. The establishment of Al foil as low-cost and highly performing substrate would pave the way for large-scale, multicentre studies and potentially for routine clinical use.

show abstract

ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy Tools for Medical Diagnosis and Disease Investigation

Cited by 24 publications

References 97 publications

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy for virus identification: A powerful alternative

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy for virus identification: A powerful alternative

Technical Note: Noninvasive mid‐IR fiber‐optic evanescent wave spectroscopy (FEWS) for early detection of skin cancers

Aluminium foil as an alternative substrate for the spectroscopic interrogation of endometrial cancer

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About