DETECTION OF VULNERABLE PLAQUES USING RAMAN, FLUORESCENCE AND REFLECTANCE SPECT

这个子项目是许多利用 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 易损斑块的特征是形态学特征，如薄纤维帽、大坏死核、表面泡沫细胞和斑块内出血。我们建议使用多种光谱方法的组合，包括拉曼，漫反射，和内在荧光光谱，检测这些关键的形态标志物的易损斑块。我们将这种组合技术称为多峰光谱（MMS）。对17例人颈动脉标本进行了体外初步研究。采集光谱后，对每个标本进行组织学评价。确定从漫反射光谱法获得的参数，血红蛋白浓度，可以潜在地用于检测斑块内出血。从内在荧光中提取的与组织最顶层中胶原蛋白的量相关的参数可用于感测薄纤维帽的存在。最后，与胆固醇和坏死物质的量相关的拉曼光谱参数可以潜在地用于检测坏死核心。MMS方法显示出很大的希望，提供有关菌斑组成的补充形态学信息。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Vulnerable plaques are characterized by morphological features such as a thin fibrous cap, a large necrotic core, superficial foam cells, and intraplaque hemorrhage. We propose the use of a combination of multiple spectroscopic methods, including Raman, diffuse reflectance, and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, to detect these key morphological markers of vulnerable plaque. We refer to the combined technique as multimodal spectroscopy (MMS). A preliminary study was performed in vitro on 17 human carotid artery specimens. Following the acquisition of the spectra, each specimen was histologically evaluated. It was determined that parameters obtained from diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, the hemoglobin concentration, can potentially be used to detect intraplaque hemorrhage. A parameter extracted from the intrinsic fluorescence that relates to the amount of collagen in the topmost layers of the tissue can be used to sense the presence of a thin fibrous cap. Finally, a Raman spectroscopy parameter related to the amount of cholesterol and necrotic material can potentially be used to detect a necrotic core. The MMS method shows great promise to provide complementary morphological information about plaque composition.