The invention relates to methods of dynamic chemical imaging, including
methods of cellular imaging. The method comprises illuminating at least a
portion of a cell with substantially monochromatic light and assessing
Raman-shifted light scattered from the illuminated portion at a plurality
of discrete times. The Raman-shifted light can be assessed at a plurality
of Raman shift (RS) values at each of the discrete times, and the RS
values can be selected to be characteristic of a pre-selected component
at each of the discrete times. Multivariate analysis of Raman spectral
features of the images thus obtained can yield the location and chemical
identity of components in the field of view. This information can be
combined or overlaid with other spectral data (e.g., a visible
microscopic image) obtained from the field of view.