DETECTION OF SILICONE IN LYMPH-NODE BIOPSY SPECIMENS BY NEAR-INFRAREDRAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY

Near-infrared Raman spectroscopy with a 782-nm cw laser was used to ex amine lymph node biopsy specimens from women with ruptured breast impl ants containing silicone gel. For reduction of fluorescence and sample radiation damage, a low-power (30 mW) Ti: sapphire laser, single-stag e spectrograph, and CCD detector were employed. Silicone Raman feature s were clearly visible in lymph node tissue of patients with leaking i mplants, and the spectra were easily distinguished from those of norma l lymph node tissue. The technique has promise for medical diagnostic purposes, and may be amenable to in vivo analysis with adaptation to a fiber-optic probe.