Nature of light: spectroscopic techniques in obstetrics and gynecology applications

Reprod Sci. 2013 May;20(5):500-13. doi: 10.1177/1933719112446071. Epub 2012 May 11.

Abstract

In recent years, advances in spectroscopic techniques led to an increase in their medical applications. In medical sciences, emphasis is increasingly placed on instrumental techniques and accurate, quantitative measurements. It is especially apparent in diagnosis, where imaging techniques and laboratory results have became invaluable and compulsory. Breakthroughs in biochemistry made it possible to characterize physiological processes and living organisms at the molecular level. This led to a proliferation of new methods such as DNA tests and the use of biomarkers in daily clinical practice. Characterization of molecular structure and determination of the composition of a mixture are the fields of analytical chemistry and analytical biochemistry.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / analysis*
  • Diagnostic Techniques, Obstetrical and Gynecological*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prognosis
  • Spectrum Analysis* / methods

Substances

  • Biomarkers