Clinical diagnostic applications

Fluri, K., Lettieri, G.L., Schoot, B.H.V.D., Verpoorte, E., de Rooij, N.F., Chip-based heterogeneous immunoassay for clinical diagnostic applications. Micro Total Analysis Systems 98, Proceedings piAS 98 Workshop, Banff, Canada,... 

An alternative method of DNA sequencing, called Pyrosequencing (3) uses a series of enzymatic reactions to enable the continuous readout of short stretches of DNA sequence without the requirement for electrophoretic fragment separation. The method may be useful for low-throughput research and clinical diagnostic applications, but is unlikely to be applied to high-throughput applications. 

Electrospray ionization (ESI), a very powerful MS ionization mode, has been coupled with liquid chromatography becoming a popular tool in biomolecular analysis and drug analysis applications [1], Use of HPLC or ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) combined with a mass spectrometry through the interface—ESI has become a powerful and routinely used analytical tool for many fields in scientific research, pharma industry, healthcare, and clinical diagnostic applications. 

The highly accurate and quantitative aspects of SOMA are qualities suited for certain clinical diagnostic applications. Fix exanple, the quantity of a given mutant allele in a sample may determine the intervention or therapeutic strategy adopted for that individual. With continued improvements in instrumentation, data analysis capabilities and sample preparation methods, SOMA has great potential as a method for analysis of genetic variations in research and clinical settings. 

The objective of this chapter is to provide an introduction to Raman spectroscopic microscopy and its potential for biochemical analysis and clinical diagnostic applications, such that it can be compared and contrasted to the techniques of synchrotron and bench-top mid-FTIR spectroscopy discussed elsewhere in this book. Raman spectroscopy is a complementary technique to mid-IR absorption spectroscopy with established capabilities for materials and process analysis. As a bioanalytical and diagnostic technique, similar to FTIR spectroscopy, its potential has been demonstrated although there are many differing technical considerations to be addressed. Raman has potentially significant advantages as well as drawbacks compared to FTIR techniques. Here we endeavour to outline these benefits and pitfalls and project the complementary and competitive usage of Raman techniques. 

Optical sensors for oxygen are among the few sensors, which have found practical application for process-monitoring and clinical diagnostics. They are generally based on compounds such as platinum porphyrins or ruthenium phenanthroline derivatives (Table 17) which show a decrease in luminescence upon exposure to molecular oxygen15. 

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