Nanomaterials and SERS target sensitivity and quantification gaps in lateral flow immunoassays
The review examines lateral flow immunoassays as rapid, portable diagnostic tools primarily deployed in low-resource settings for qualitative and semiquantitative analyte detection. Investigators highlight persistent technical barriers including limited sensitivity, poor reproducibility, multiplexing constraints, quantification inaccuracies, and the hook effect. Recent methodological advances incorporating nanomaterials and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy are actively being integrated to overcome these performance gaps. The authors note that next-generation closed-box platforms are expected to deliver reliable quantitative results, strengthening the clinical utility of point-of-care testing in resource-constrained laboratories.
The original study
Lateral flow immunoassays: challenges and innovations.
- Authors
- Patil K, Upadhye S, Shetty S
- Journal
- Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 42570835
Original abstract
Lateral flow immunoassays serve as rapid, portable and cost-effective diagnostic tools. These assays are primarily used for qualitative, semiquantitative and less frequently quantitative detection of analytes in low-resource settings or locations lacking laboratory infrastructure. Their rapid turnaround time significantly enhances patient care and outcome by helping healthcare professionals make faster decisions and initiate treatment at an early stage. Even though they have clear advantage over standard laboratory tests, their widespread adoption is still limited. Some of the main issues include insufficient sensitivity, poor reproducibility, challenges in multiplexing and the need for more accurate quantification. There are other inherent factors such as "hook effect", which cause false-negative results when analyte concentration is very high. Recent advances involving nanomaterials and sophisticated detection systems, such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, are actively addressing these hurdles. The future of lateral flow immunoassays is likely to involve the development of integrated "closed-box" system which provide accurate quantitative results through multidisciplinary approaches to meet the growing demand for highly reliable, practical and high-performance diagnostic tools.