For more than 25 years in the medical field, Z-Laser, a manufacturer of line lasers and laser projectors for positioning applications and instrumentation, in close cooperation with other manufacturers, has developed products for medical laser systems, modules and customised solutions for patient positioning, dermatology, radiotherapy and surgery.
• Applications for patient positioning: For accurate patient positioning in X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), typically Laser Class 1 laser modules are used.
Figure 1: Patient positioning CT / MRI
Z-Laser supplies various manufacturers of such scanners with systems tailored to the laser modules. For example, with C-arms a visualised cross-axis laser marks the exact Iso-Center. This minimises false recordings and, hence, the dose of radiation to the patient. Depending on the application, either the X-ray source or the laser amplifier images are integrated.
Figure 2: Patient positioning C-arm
Figure 3: X-ray laser cross projection
• Application dermatology: For the treatment of soft tissue in cosmetic dermatology, Z-Laser developed lasers with different wavelengths from blue to infrared with power levels up to half a Watt. Fibre coupling can also be used in such applications.
• Application radiotherapy: The laser scale is used as a distance measurement device. The geometry ensures that the patient is the exact distance away from the radiation source. This allows the source to accurately adjust to the patient. The measuring scale is generated by a special lens that was developed specifically for the manufacturer of the irradiation system.
• Application surgery: For surgical lasers that operate in the infrared spectrum (not visible to the eye), a customised Z-Laser visible pilot laser was developed. This is especially important for long beam deflection systems where a good focus and circular spot is required.
Figure 4: Distance measurement scale
Z-Laser has now released the ZFSM laser product family for the medical field and other applications mentioned above. These lasers are available with red, green, blue and infrared (IR) wavelengths with output powers up to 50 milliwatts (mW). The optical properties of the fibres, in comparison to pure diodes, are better in terms of the beam profile (M² ~ 1.05) and the geometry of the radiation. Depending on the optics, small and perfect round dots or thin homogeneous lines are produced (e.g., 8 micrometres, or μm, at 30 millimetres, or mm, working distance, 1/e² and ±5% line homogeneity).
The ZFSM laser (see photo at top of page) separates the optics through an optical fibre cable from the laser source to its associated electronics. The electronics are external so the laser has less heat to dissipate and has no direct influence on the optical system (high stability of the projection). The optics can be mounted several meters away from the laser source. The optics can be exchanged in a running system due to the standard fibre connectors used.
ZFSM is available as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) solution offered in many versions including bare electronics module or enclosed in a housing with the laser source, driver electronics and standard fibre connector. Z-Laser offers a custom fibre solution or suitable fibre optics and accessories. By fibre coupling, the module can be scaled. It can control, for example, multiple laser sources (RGB) individually coupled to one or more fibres.
Back to Products
