Clinical and investigative applications of Raman spectroscopy in Urology and Andrology

Raman spectroscopy (RS) is an optical technique that allows for real-time interrogation of biologic tissues with chemical specificity. Using a diode laser, incident photons are scattered on the tissue of interest and the spectral wavelength output is a reflection of the tissues’ molecular fingerprint. Naturally, this technology has come into clinical usage to evaluate benign versus malignant tissue. Within the field of Urology, RS has seen tremendous growth as an optical biopsy tool for the real-time evaluation of diseases of the bladder, prostate, kidney, and testis. With such growing fervor for this emerging spectroscopic modality, we present a current summary of clinical studies utilizing RS within Urology and Andrology to highlight its potential applications.