The needle utilizes a technology known as Raman spectroscopy, which projects a low-power laser onto suspected cancerous tissue, with the potential to detect the disease in just a few seconds, according to scientists at the University of Exeter.
This smart needle has been developed by researchers in the UK to accelerate the detection and diagnosis of cancer.
Raman Laser can replace many surgical and diagnostic methods.
Researchers believe that this technology could assist in diagnosing lymphoma, reducing patients’ anxiety while awaiting test results. Currently, individuals suspected of having lymphoma must undergo cell sampling and lymph node biopsies for accurate diagnosis, which can take considerable time.
In addition to lymphoma, Raman spectroscopy can help doctors detect early signs of breast cancer, cavities, and osteoporosis, thereby facilitating quicker, more convenient, and accurate disease diagnosis.
“The Raman smart needle can measure molecular changes associated with diseases in the tissues and cells at the needle tip. From this, we can determine whether a patient is healthy or not,” said project leader Professor Nick Stone.
Raman spectroscopy is primarily used to measure the density and wavelength of light emitted by molecules. It has been widely applied in the medical field and drug formulation, such as measuring the properties of infectious diseases.
Scientist Michael Morris from the University of Michigan, USA, stated that Raman lasers can replace many surgical and diagnostic methods. The greatest advantage of Raman spectroscopy is that it does not require invasive procedures on the patient, offering faster and more accurate diagnosis compared to traditional surgical methods.
When a person becomes ill or is about to fall ill, the chemical composition in their organs significantly differs from that in healthy organs; thus, Raman spectroscopy can detect changes in tissues across different bodies.
Researchers at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK regularly use Raman lasers to analyze calcification in breast tissue, as calcification is an early sign of cancer.
The Raman spectroscopy diagnostic method can perform diagnoses within minutes, and patients may not even need to undergo X-ray imaging.
