Photonics in Healthcare: Key Applications to Know

Semiconductor Review | Friday, July 26, 2024

Laser radiations are used in the treatment of cancerous tissues and they are directed to the tissues with the aid of optical fibers by having modulated frequency, intensity and duration of radiations.

Fremont, CA: Photonics can be identified as the science of detection, generation and manipulation of light waves and they have contributed heavily towards the development of cost effective and personalized medical treatment and diagnosis methods. They have the added advantage of having the ability to penetrate the biological barriers without triggering any sorts of physical and chemical changes to the basic structure.

Role of photonics in health care

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Photonics in the health care industry involves the interaction between the electromagnetic radiation with the living cells of the organisms or with their constituent biological components. The effects caused by the interaction primarily depend upon the wavelength and the energy of the light along with the optical properties of the cells. The refractive index value held by the biological cells also considerably affects the process and at the varying wavelengths the body remains transparent exposing it to the internal imaging of organs and bones.

Infrared and ultraviolet radiations are absorbed at an higher rate by the biological cells and the laser lights belonging to the above mentioned groups are used for carrying out tissue incisions, wound seali ng’s and heating of tissues zones.

Optical properties of the cells

The path propagation of a light matrix within a cell is determined by its refractive index which is directly related to the mass distribution within the cell and its constituents. Refractive index variations within different mediums cause a shift in phases and bring about a phase delay which could be quantitatively measured through the process of phase imaging. Images obtained through the process of phase imaging can be analyzed to find the optical thickness of the cells which in return makes it possible to distinguish between the bacterial infected and normal cells.

Used in disease diagnosis

Photonics have been extensively used for several decades in identifying the disease causing pathogens, metabolites, disease causing pathogen and the changes induced in cells through bacterial infection as well. The most commonly used optical imaging methods for the detection of the diseases are OCT or optical coherence tomography, microscopy, and spectroscopy and the methods using the combined modes are also gaining higher circulation among the health care industry.

Disease treatment and photonics

Laser radiations are user in the treatment of cancerous tissues and they are directed to the tissues with the aid of optical fibers by having modulated frequency, intensity and duration of radiations. With the advent of modern technology it is possible to differentiate between the malignant cells and non-infected cells by the incorporation of artificial intelligence with photonic image development.

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