BIOSPECIFIC CONTRAST AGENTS

摘要

Methods and apparatuses for detecting a condition of a sample (including, cervical cancers and pre-cancers) through reflectance and/or fluorescence imaging include obtaining a sample and one or more metallic nanoparticles and/or one or more quantum dots (A). The one or more metallic nanoparticles and/or one or more quantum dots are coupled to one or more biomarkers (B) of the sample that are associated with the condition. A reflectance and/or fluorescence image (C) of the sample is then taken. The image(s) exhibit characteristic optical scattering from the one or more metallic nanoparticles and/or characteristic fluorescence excitation from the one or more quantum dots to signal the presence of the one or more biomarkers. In this way, the condition can be readily screened or diagnosed.