3 research outputs found
Fiber optic Raman spectroscopy for the evaluation of disease state in Duchenne muscular dystrophy:An assessment using the mdx model and human muscle
INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Raman spectroscopy is an emerging technique for the evaluation of muscle disease. In this study we evaluate the ability of in vivo intramuscular Raman spectroscopy to detect the effects of voluntary running in the mdx model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We also compare mdx data with muscle spectra from human DMD patients. METHODS: Thirty 90âdayâold mdx mice were randomly allocated to an exercised group (48âhour access to a running wheel) and an unexercised group (n = 15 per group). In vivo Raman spectra were collected from both gastrocnemius muscles and histopathological assessment subsequently performed. Raman data were analyzed using principal component analysisâfed linear discriminant analysis (PCAâLDA). Exercised and unexercised mdx muscle spectra were compared with human DMD samples using cosine similarity. RESULTS: Exercised mice ran an average of 6.5 km over 48âhours, which induced a significant increase in muscle necrosis (P =â.03). PCAâLDA scores were significantly different between the exercised and unexercised groups (P <â.0001) and correlated significantly with distance run (P =â.01). Raman spectra from exercised mice more closely resembled human spectra than those from unexercised mice. DISCUSSION: Raman spectroscopy provides a readout of the biochemical alterations in muscle in both the mdx mouse and human DMD muscle
Rapid identification of human muscle disease with fibre optic Raman spectroscopy
The diagnosis of muscle disorders (âmyopathiesâ) can be challenging and new biomarkers of disease are required to enhance clinical practice and research. Despite advances in areas such as imaging and genomic medicine, muscle biopsy remains an important but time-consuming investigation. Raman spectroscopy is a vibrational spectroscopy application that could provide a rapid analysis of muscle tissue, as it requires no sample preparation and is simple to perform. Here, we investigated the feasibility of using a miniaturised, portable fibre optic Raman system for the rapid identification of muscle disease. Samples were assessed from 27 patients with a final clinico-pathological diagnosis of a myopathy and 17 patients in whom investigations and clinical follow-up excluded myopathy. Multivariate classification techniques achieved accuracies ranging between 71â77%. To explore the potential of Raman spectroscopy to identify different myopathies, patients were subdivided into mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial myopathy groups. Classification accuracies were between 74â89%. Observed spectral changes were related to changes in protein structure. These data indicate fibre optic Raman spectroscopy is a promising technique for the rapid identification of muscle disease that could provide real time diagnostic information. The application of fibre optic Raman technology raises the prospect of in vivo bedside testing for muscle diseases which would significantly streamline the diagnostic pathway of these disorders