Potential use of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy for the analysis and diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (Review).
Sakudo, Akikazu · Molecular medicine reports · 2016 · DOI
Quick Summary
This review examines whether a special type of light-based scanning called visible and near-infrared spectroscopy could help diagnose ME/CFS objectively. Currently, doctors diagnose ME/CFS only by listening to patient symptoms, with no blood test or physical measurement available. Researchers found that this light-scanning technique can detect differences in blood samples and thumb tissue between people with ME/CFS and healthy people, suggesting it might identify biological markers of the disease.
Why It Matters
ME/CFS currently lacks objective diagnostic tests, forcing physicians to rely solely on symptoms and exclusion of other diseases. Developing a reliable biomarker-based diagnostic tool would reduce diagnostic delays, improve patient recognition, and enable earlier treatment. This review highlights spectroscopy as a promising non-invasive approach that could eventually provide the objective diagnosis ME/CFS patients have long needed.
Observed Findings
Visible and near-infrared spectral absorption patterns differ between ME/CFS patients and healthy controls
Biomarkers can be detected in serum (blood) samples using Vis-NIR spectroscopy
Biomarkers can be detected non-invasively in thumb tissue using Vis-NIR spectroscopy
Factors absorbing light in the Vis-NIR spectral region are altered in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy individuals
Inferred Conclusions
Vis-NIR spectroscopy shows potential as an objective diagnostic tool for ME/CFS
Identifiable biomarkers associated with ME/CFS exist and can be detected using this technology
Future research into Vis-NIR spectroscopy may facilitate discovery of new ME/CFS biomarkers and improve understanding of disease pathophysiology
Remaining Questions
Which specific biological molecules or compounds cause the observed spectral differences in ME/CFS patients?
How sensitive and specific would Vis-NIR spectroscopy need to be for reliable clinical diagnosis and patient monitoring?
What are the technical and cost barriers to implementing this technology in routine clinical practice?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This review does not prove that Vis-NIR spectroscopy successfully diagnoses ME/CFS in clinical practice, as it synthesizes existing research rather than conducting new clinical trials. It does not establish the specific biological mechanisms causing the spectral differences observed. It also does not demonstrate that such testing is practical, cost-effective, or superior to other emerging diagnostic approaches.