The imaging of dysregulated cell-surface receptors (or biomarkers) is a potential means of identifying the presence of cancer with high sensitivity and specificity. However, due to heterogeneities in the expression of protein biomarkers in tumors, molecular imaging technologies should ideally be capable of visualizing a multiplexed panel of cancer biomarkers. Recently, surface-enhanced Raman-scattering (SERS) nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted wide interest due to their potential for sensitive and multiplexed biomarker detection. In this review, we focus on the most recent advances in tumor imaging using SERS-coded NPs. A brief introduction of the structure and optical properties of SERS NPs is provided, followed by a detailed discussion of key imaging issues such as the administration of NPs in tissue (topical versus systemic), the optical configuration and imaging approach of Raman imaging systems, spectral demultiplexing methods for quantifying NP concentrations, and the disambiguation of specific versus nonspecific sources of contrast through ratiometric imaging of targeted and untargeted (control) NP pairs. Finally, future challenges and directions are briefly outlined.

中文翻译：

---

通过对用 SERS 编码的纳米颗粒标记的新鲜组织进行多重分子成像的手术指导

失调的细胞表面受体（或生物标志物）的成像是一种以高灵敏度和特异性识别癌症存在的潜在手段。然而，由于肿瘤中蛋白质生物标志物表达的异质性，理想情况下，分子成像技术应该能够可视化多路癌症生物标志物。最近，表面增强拉曼散射 (SERS) 纳米粒子 (NPs) 因其灵敏和多重生物标志物检测的潜力而引起了广泛的兴趣。在这篇综述中，我们专注于使用 SERS 编码的 NP 进行肿瘤成像的最新进展。简要介绍了 SERS NPs 的结构和光学特性，然后详细讨论了关键成像问题，例如组织中 NPs 的给药（局部与全身），拉曼成像系统的光学配置和成像方法，用于量化 NP 浓度的光谱解复用方法，以及通过目标和非目标（控制）NP 对的比率成像来消除特定与非特定对比度来源的歧义。最后，简要概述了未来的挑战和方向。