Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS): potential applications for disease detection and treatment

The implementation of Raman and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for the detection of disease has increased in recent years. The reasons for their increased implementation have often been attributed to their well-known advantages, including the production of narrow spectral bands, which are characteristic of the molecular components present, their non-destructive method of analysis and the sensitivity and specificity which they can confer. This review analyses a range of diseases which can be detected by Raman or SERS, particularly those in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. The sophistication of the investigated systems varied widely but the suitability of Raman and SERS for medical diagnostics and future implementation in a clinical environment is clearly demonstrated.