Revolutionary approaches for cancer diagnosis by terahertz-based spectroscopy and imaging

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) Vol. 259; p. 124483
• Main Authors: Zhan, Xinyu, Liu, Yu, Chen, Zhiguo, Luo, Jie, Yang, Sha, Yang, Xiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.07.2023
• Subjects: Cancer diagnosis; Diagnostic Imaging; Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Technology; Terahertz imaging; Terahertz Spectroscopy; Water; Cancer diagnosis; Terahertz spectroscopy; Terahertz imaging
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124483

Most tumors are easily missed and misdiagnosed due to the lack of specific clinical signs and symptoms in the early stage. Thus, an accurate, rapid and reliable early tumor detection method is highly desirable. The application of terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and imaging in biomedicine has made remarkable progress in the past two decades, which addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies and provides an alternative for early tumor diagnosis. Although issues such as size mismatch and strong absorption of THz waves by water have set hurdles for cancer diagnosis by THz technology, innovative materials and biosensors in recent years have led to possibilities for new THz biosensing and imaging methods. In this article, we reviewed the issues that need to be solved before THz technology is used for tumor-related biological sample detection and clinical auxiliary diagnosis. We focused on the recent research progress of THz technology, with an emphasis on biosensing and imaging. Finally, the application of THz spectroscopy and imaging for tumor diagnosis in clinical practice and the main challenges in this process were also mentioned. Collectively, THz-based spectroscopy and imaging reviewed here is envisioned as a cutting-edge approach for cancer diagnosis. [Display omitted] •Unique features make terahertz suitable for medical applications.•Terahertz spectroscopy can quickly and accurately identify and quantify tumor-related targets.•The composition and structural changes of tumor tissue can be distinguished by terahertz images.•The combination of terahertz spectrum and image is expected to provide a new method for tumor diagnosis.