Identification of Human Adrenal Carcinoma Cells Using Photoacoustic Flow Cytometry

<p>With consistently high mortality rates in patients with adrenal cancer, lack of early detection and diagnosis are an ever increasing problem in fighting the deadly disease. Currently, very few patients are diagnosed with adrenal cancer within the early stages due to the absence of symptoms until large tumors are formed, which is in most cases is fatal. Because of this, early detection equipment is crucial to optimizing the survival rate in patients. We studied the absorbance wavelength of human adrenal carcinoma cells, as well as the minimum cell concentration needed in samples using photoacoustic flow cytometry (PAFC). PAFC generates ultrasonic waves when particles under flow absorb laser light. Due to the yellow color in adrenal cancer cells, we demonstrate that cells under flow optimally absorb a laser in blue/indigo color. We also determine the minimum number of cells needed per sample to produce a significant signal within the system. These novel findings will be further used in the future to develop a blood assay for early detection of adrenal cancer cells in the blood stream of patients within a clinical setting, aiding in early diagnosis, and consequentially decreased mortality rates in patients.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS

Level thesis:degree_level

Immediate Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biomedical Engineering

Year dc:date.available

2020

Author dc:creator

• Stahl, Alexis

Contributors dc:contributor

• John Viator
• Kimberly Williams

• photoacoustics
• cell culture
• adrenal cancer
• flow cytometry
• Bioimaging and Biomedical Optics

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/1897

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dsc.duq.edu:etd-2907