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The discovery of inelastic scattering by Sir C. V. Raman in 1928 established a
technique for elucidating the chemical constituents of complex samples as well
as revealing their molecular structures. Combined with advantages such as low
interference in signals from water and an abundance of Raman-active moieties,
the technique is ideally suited for delineating complex biochemical changes characteristic
of disease progression. Technological developments and the discovery
of Raman-based effects, such as tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, spatially offset
Raman spectroscopy, and surface-enhanced spatially offset Raman spectroscopy,
have further boosted its capabilities and made this technique a forerunner
in the field of biomedical applications. This Spotlight describes Raman spectroscopy,
the principles underlying this technique, theories proposed to explain this
phenomenon, and instrumentation, variants, and general applications in Chapter
1. To shed light on existing and potential biomedical applications of Raman spectroscopy,
the book discusses a specific application: breast cancer management.
Chapter 2 deals with different aspects of this application, such as normal breast
anatomy and physiology, breast cancer pathology, etiology, screening techniques,
diagnostic methods, and treatment options, and Chapter 3 describes relevant
research articles.
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