Patent ID: 6939686
Filing Date: 2005-09-06
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of using Raman imaging microscopy for evaluating drug action within living cells comprising the steps of: first measuring a Raman spectrum of said drug to determine a pretreatment fingerprint of said drug; second measuring a first direct Raman image of said living cells at a predetermined wavelength on said Raman spectrum in order to determine a pretreatment background of said living cells; treating a culture of said living cells with said drug to obtain treated living cells; next measuring a second direct Raman image of said treated living cells at said predetermined wavelength on said Raman spectrum to obtain post-treatment images of said living cells; processing said post-treatment images and pretreatment backgrounds to obtain processed post-treatment images and processed pretreatment backgrounds to evaluate said drug action within said living cells; and dividing said processed post-treatment images by said processed pretreatment backgrounds according to the formula s′(x,y)/s(x,y)=K′(x,y)/K(x,y), where s′(x,y) is said processed post-treatment image, s(x,y) is said processed pretreatment background, K′(x,y) is the Raman scattering coefficient for said processed post-treatment image, and K(x,y) is the Raman scattering coefficient for said processed pretreatment background, wherein said dividing step is used to obtain a ratio of images which indicate the changes of said living cells after said treating whereby said changes are used to determine said drug action.