title: Non-invasive spectroscopy of transfusable red blood cells stored inside sealed plastic blood-bags.
abstract: After being separated from (donated) whole blood, red blood cells are suspended in specially formulated additive solutions and stored (at 4 °C) in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blood-bags until they are needed for transfusion. With time, the prepared red cell concentrate (RCC) is known to undergo biochemical changes that lower effectiveness of the transfusion, and thus regulations are in place that limit the storage period to 42 days. At present, RCC is not subjected to analytical testing prior to transfusion. In this study, we use Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) to probe, non-invasively, the biochemistry of RCC inside sealed blood-bags. The retrieved spectra compare well with conventional Raman spectra (of sampled aliquots) and are dominated by features associated with hemoglobin. In addition to the analytical demonstration that SORS can be used to retrieve RCC spectra from standard clinical blood-bags without breaking the sterility of the system, the data reveal interesting detail about the oxygenation-state of the stored cells themselves, namely that some blood-bags unexpectedly contain measurable amounts of deoxygenated hemoglobin after weeks of storage. The demonstration that chemical information can be obtained non-invasively using spectroscopy will enable new studies of RCC degeneration, and points the way to a Raman-based instrument for quality-control in a blood-bank or hospital setting.
authors: Michael Smith Laboratories, The University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z4. turner@msl.ubc.ca.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Buckley
authors: Michael Smith Laboratories, The University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z4. turner@msl.ubc.ca and Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z1. blades@chem.ubc.ca.
authors: C G
authors: CG
authors: Atkins
authors: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 2B5 and Centre for Blood Research, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z3.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Chen
authors: Michael Smith Laboratories, The University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z4. turner@msl.ubc.ca.
authors: H G
authors: HG
authors: Schulze
authors: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 2B5 and Centre for Blood Research, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z3.
authors: D V
authors: DV
authors: Devine
authors: Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z1. blades@chem.ubc.ca.
authors: M W
authors: MW
authors: Blades
authors: Michael Smith Laboratories, The University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z4. turner@msl.ubc.ca and Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z1. blades@chem.ubc.ca and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2332 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6 T 1Z4.
authors: R F B
authors: RF
authors: Turner
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride; D019064:Product Packaging; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
chemical_list: D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride