The power to visualize the body’s complex systems in light waves is one of the most fascinating developments in health care to date. Photonics advances yearly, but it is set to undergo a monumental shift with the inclusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and other next-generation technologies. Photonics in medicine will have numerous novel applications as curious minds seek to expand it further and make use of these revolutionary discoveries.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
OCT creates medical imagery in a noninvasive way. If medical professionals need cross-sections of tissues, teeth and more, they can use OCT to obtain precise visualizations. This technique is also helpful for detecting disease. For example, scanning sensitive parts of the body, like the eyes, may find retinal ailments or glaucoma with minimal effort.
A recent groundbreaking advancement in dentistry is an example of this. For the first time in history, a robot completed an entire dental procedure. The patient needed a dental crown, and the robot arm, sensors and cameras executed the procedure in a fraction of the time humans could.
The first step in this analysis involved using OCT to understand the mouth’s structure and nerve systems. After a dentist reviewed the images, the robot was able to act without human intervention. It had astonishing accuracy and speed, and the robot was able to drill and install the crown in a short, comfortable sitting. With this strategy, X-rays were not necessary. In the future, robots and photonics could remove radiation exposure to dental patients.
Laser-Based Bioprinting
If the body is unable to naturally manufacture the healthy cells it needs to overcome an ailment, medical professionals must help it do so. Laser-based bioprinting gives doctors this privilege, and photonics makes injecting regenerative materials into the body straightforward and accessible.
Several studies examined photonics’ ability to print blood vessels by controlling the linking process between resins and cells. Doctors have high degrees of control over the thermal intensity and length of time the cells are exposed to light. This permits highly customizable treatment processes, and operators may place and design printed parts with high levels of precision.
This application permits expedited muscle, organ and tissue healing. Additionally, the accuracy of the healthy cell deposits prevents other bodily functions from being impacted by treatment. Laser-enabled drug and biomaterial delivery is necessary for advanced, localized health care.
Diffuse Optical Imaging (DOI)
DOI has two optical applications, including diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Recent publications have explored these technologies and their potential in the coming years for expanding neurophotonic applications. DCS and NIRS will be pivotal in making existing imaging tech more expansive. Light waves allow spectroscopy to be more accurate and sensitive, digging deeper into the human body than ever before.
The reports explored its usability in brain research and assessing neurodevelopment. In the future, MRI machines might be able to provide more nuanced information about social and cognitive functions. The associated medical fields, which involve mental health and early childhood development, could have more concrete data than ever before.
Other modern uses include reporting blood quality and movement. DOI can detect flow and oxygenation, providing insights into numerous other bodily functions. For example, blood traits may hint at brain complications through imaging or breast cancer based on how it reacts to cancer cells. The lasers are helpful for tools like microscopes for recreating high-resolution imagery, in addition to boosting the efficiency of equipment like fiber-optic endoscopes.
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
Cancer treatment is also utilizing photonics in medicine. In conjunction with photosensitive drugs, this new form of light therapy can kill malignant cells. The drug transmits photosensitizing agents to the cancer cells, forcing them to react under specific light conditions. Currently, the United States Food and Drug Administration has allowed PDT to treat the following:
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Barrett’s esophagus
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Actinic keratosis
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Throat cancer
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Stage 0 squamous cell skin cancer
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Basal cell skin cancer
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Non-small cell lung cancer
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Advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
It is also helpful for relieving symptoms in patients with non-small cell lung cancer when it blocks the airways and throat cancer when it blocks the throat. PDT allows doctors to pinpoint the cells that need to be destroyed versus harming benign bystanders. This therapy could assist diverse cancer variants.
Laser Ablation
Laser ablation works similarly to photodynamic therapy in targeting specific cells and tissues. However, it opens pathways in the organs that doctors need to treat. Medical intervention and biology will work together to create new tissues traveling down these new routes. Once they find the organ they need, they restore it. This could impact the following medical fields:
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Dermatology
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Urology
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Oncology
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Gynecology
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Ophthalmology
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Mental health
Ablation is ideal for situations like scar healing and speeding up recovery for people post-surgery or after giving birth. Many patients resist certain procedures because of the pain and recovery associated with them. Photonics in medicine could soften the reputation of intimidating procedures, improving patient comfort and trust in medical facilities.
Photonic Biosensors
Using light to track the body’s performance is enough to identify health shifts. While many photonics technologies are for treatment, they are also crucial for monitoring and diagnostics. Optical biosensors gather data, compare behavior to healthy models and discover concerns early by highlighting even the smallest anomalies. Combine this with AI and machine learning, and doctors have a powerful suite of medical assistants.
These sensors allow remote monitoring, giving patients more time at home during diagnostics. This functionality also enables more widespread and knowledgeable wearable medical tech. The commercial potential is potentially among the reasons why photonics may be worth $1 trillion by 2032 in the U.S.
For example, a gradual spike in blood glucose may indicate prediabetes, making it less expensive and time-consuming for patients and doctors to find treatment solutions. Biosensors could prevent infectious diseases or other conditions from exacerbating beyond the point of eradication.
Diverse Applications of Photonics in Medicine
Many would not have guessed therapy and dentistry to be in the photonics portfolio of potential, but modern medicine made it possible. Photonics has great potential, from making robots more proficient to contributing to regenerative medicine. Facilities and professionals must invest in research to expand photonics potential for more accurate, comfortable health care worldwide.
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