Fabian H, Lasch P, Boese M, Haensch W (2002): Mid-Infrared Microspectroscopic Imaging of Breast Tumor Tissue Sections.
Biopolymers (Biospectroscopy) 67: 354-357.

Infrared microspectroscopic imaging is a relatively new approach for the examination of tissue sections. In contrast to standard light microscopy-based procedures, the infrared approach requires neither sample staining nor fixation. For this purpose, infrared spectra of breast tumor tissue sections were obtained via a microscope equipped with a focal plane array detector. This enabled us to collect individual spectra simultaneously from thousands of different sample positions and with a spatial resolution near the diffraction limit in the mid-infrared region. Analysis of the infrared data revealed a high sensitivity of the infrared approach towards changes in cellular biochemistry and variations in breast tissue architecture. Moreover, our data demonstrate the need for collecting spectra with high spatial resolution at the level of individual cells in order to minimize problems associated with tissue microheterogeneity, an essential prerequisite for future studies aimed at developing infrared microspectroscopic imaging as a complement to present diagnostic tools for breast cancer.