Advanced Medical SERS Applications

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a nanoscopic phenomenon through which the inelastic energy transfer between light and matter is greatly enhanced. It was first observed fifty years ago, and since then, it has been revealing molecules for multiple applications across many scientific disciplines. SERS has been employed in biomedical applications, especially in oncology—to date, in the preclinical setting. In this chapter, we present some of the most advanced medical applications of SERS. We begin with a brief history of SERS-based biomedical applications, for bioanalysis and medical imaging. Then, we present an overview of the nanoscopic phenomena that enable this technique, focusing on the design of different nanoparticles and Raman-active molecules. After that, we provide an overview of the recent advances in SERS-based Raman guided surgery, endoscopy, imaging of deep-seated lesions, as well as the combination of SERS nanoprobes with other established and upcoming medical imaging modalities. We end with a discussion of multiplexed molecular imaging and a brief discussion on the next steps for the technique.