UK scientists have made a breakthrough in a new method of brain tumor diagnosis, offering hope to tens of thousands of people.

Researchers, led by Professor Francis Martin of Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University, have shown that infrared and Raman spectroscopy – coupled with statistical analysis – can be used to tell the difference between normal brain tissue and the different tumor types that may arise in this tissue, based on its individual biochemical-cell ‘fingerprint’.

Spectroscopy is a technique that allows us to analyse light interactions with samples such as tissue by generating a spectrum, which is a reflection of the interrogated sample.

Currently, when surgeons are operating to remove a brain tumor it can be difficult to spot where the tumor ends and normal tissue begins.

But new research published online in Analytical Methods this month has shown it is possible to spot the difference between diseased and normal tissue using Raman spectroscopy – a type of spectroscopy which works effectively on living tissue, giving accurate results in seconds.