A minimally invasive screening for ulcerative colitis, a debilitating gastrointestinal tract disorder, using emerging infrared technology could be a rapid and cost-effective method for detecting disease that eliminates the need for biopsies and intrusive testing of the human body, according to researchers at Georgia State University.
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Recognizing that screening for ulcerative colitis via colonoscopy is expensive, invasive, and requires sedation, researchers at Georgia State University have developed a minimally invasive screening method that involves Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to test serum for the increased presence of mannose, a sugar that is a marker for colitis. The method is sensitive to vibrations in the chemical bonds of the serum sample's molecules and requires minimal sample preparation, eliminating the need for biopsies and intrusive testing.
Recognizing that screening for ulcerative colitis via colonoscopy is expensive, invasive, and requires sedation, researchers at Georgia State University have developed a minimally invasive screening method that involves Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to test serum for the increased presence of mannose, a sugar that is a marker for colitis. The method is sensitive to vibrations in the chemical bonds of the serum sample's molecules and requires minimal sample preparation, eliminating the need for biopsies and intrusive testing.