Multimodal method of tissue differentiation in neurooncology using Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

Abstract

There is a need to expand the possibilities of urgent analysis of intracranial tumor type during resection. These measures are necessary to improve resection quality with preservation of intact tissues and avoiding recurrence and neurological impairment in postoperative period. To create optical-spectral method for differentiating the intracranial tumor types. We used a combination of certain methods such as fluorescence spectroscopy to analyze the content of endogenous and exogenous fluorophores in samples, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to analyze structural integrity of tissues according to light scattering and blood filling according to hemoglobin spectrum absorption, as well as spontaneous Raman spectroscopy detecting individual molecular components of tissues. The study was conducted at the Laboratory of Neurosurgical Anatomy and Conservation of Biological Materials of the Burdenko Neurosurgical Center and included 93 tissue samples from 60 patients diagnosed with glioblastoma (n=28), meningioma (n=12), astrocytoma (n=9), oligodendroglioma (n=5), and metastasis (n=6). Different types of intracranial tumors that cannot be differentiated using one of the considered spectroscopy modes can be distinguished in another one. Thus, we can conclude possible advantages of combined optical-spectral approach.