Researchers develop imaging system with a precision 1,000 times sharper than existing techniques

The AFP (4/1) reports that researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine "have perfected a new technique to magnify by more than 1,000 times molecules deep inside the human body, which may help detect minuscule tumors," according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Using "a phenomenon known as Raman spectroscopy," the researchers can "measure the way that the light hits the object and bounces off again." The resulting image features a scattering pattern, which is "known as a spectral fingerprint, and is unique to each kind of molecule, helping to determine a material’s molecular composition and structure." While Raman spectroscopy is not new, the researchers "believe this is the first time the technique has been adapted to provide images from inside the human body," and it "could prove useful in surgery for removing cancerous tissue." New Scientist (4/1, Palmer) also covers the story.