Detection and grading of human gliomas by FTIR spectroscopy and a genetic classification algorithm

摘要

A new approach is presented to distinguish cancerous from normal brain tissue via linear discriminant analysis of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. FTIR microspectroscopy was used to map various thin-section tumour samples with different malignancy grades (grades Ⅱ-Ⅵ) and non-tumour samples obtained from various patients by surgical removal. Spectral analysis revealed features characteristic of tumors with increasing malignancy. A genetic region selection algorithm combined with linear discriminant analysis was used to derive classifiers distinguishing among spectra of control tissue, astrocytoma grade Ⅱ, astrocytoma grade Ⅲ and glioblastoma grade Ⅳ. Employing the World Health Organization histopathological diagnostic scheme as the gold standard, the spectra were classified with a success rate of ～ 85 %. These results demonstrate the potential of the combination of FTIR spectroscopy and pattern recognition routines in providing a more objective method for brain tumour grading and diagnosis.