Fig. 7
From: Cancer characterization and diagnosis with SERS-encoded particles
Adapted with permission from Kircher et al. (2012). Copyright 2012, Nature Publishing Group
SERS-guided intraoperative surgery using SEPs. a, b Living tumor-bearing mice (n = 3) underwent craniotomy under general anesthesia. Quarters of the tumor were then sequentially removed (as illustrated in the photographs, a), and intraoperative SERS imaging was performed after each resection step (b) until the entire tumor had been removed, as assessed by visual inspection. After the gross removal of the tumor, several small foci of SERS signal were found in the resection bed (outlined by the dashed white square; some SERS images are smaller than the image frame). The SERS color scale is shown in red from − 40 to 0 dB. c A subsequent histological analysis of sections from these foci showed an infiltrative pattern of the tumor in this location, forming finger-like protrusions extending into the surrounding brain tissue. As shown in the Raman microscopy image (right), an SERS signal was observed within these protrusions, indicating the selective presence of SEPs. The box is not drawn to scale. The SERS signal is shown in a linear red color scale.