Lecture 9 Flashcards
Properties of the tissue that light interaction depends on
Optical properties
Thermal properties
Chemical properties
Light interactions depend on
Laser irradiance (1j/cm^2 - 1000 j/cm^2)
Exposure time
In biological tissues absorption is caused by
Water molecules
Proteins
Pigments
Light tissue interaction mechanisms
Photochemical interaction
Thermal interaction
Photo ablation
Plasma-induced ablation
Photodisruption
Medical application of photochemical effect
Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
Chromophores capable of causing light-induced reactions in non-absorbing molecules
Photo sensitizers
Irradiance and exposure time of photochemical effect
Irradiance: 1 W/cm^2
Exposure time: seconds or continuous
PDT depends on
The excitation of oxygen molecules from the triplet ground state to a singlet excited state leading to the formation of ROS which is an aggressively reactive species that causes necrosis of affected tissues
Disadvantages of PDT
- Long time of tissue decay and removal from body
- Patients become photosensitive for several weeks or days
- Might be painful and toxic
Clinical uses of PDT
Cancers: Lung/ skin/esophagus/ head and neck/post-radiation therapy
Non-cancer: Arterial diseases/ ophthalmology
PDT is similar to
SDT (sonodynamic therapy, uses ultrasound instead of light)
2 processes important for photothermal interaction to happen
- Absorption –> excitation
- Deactivation (nonradiative decay) –> inc in kinetic energy which leads to increasing tissue temperature
Irradiance and exposure time of photothermal interaction
Irradiance: 10-10^6 w/cm^2
Exp time: 1 min - 1 ms
Photothermal interaction depends on which tissue optical properties
- Absorbed power density (H)
- Probability per unit length of absorbed photon (absorption coeff)
- Irradiance or fluence
Photothermal interaction depends on which tissue thermal properties
- Heat capacity
- Thermal conductivity
Leads to non-radiative processes such as internal conversion and vibrational relaxations
Thermal absorption
Thermal effects of the tissue depend on
Wavelength of beam and exposure time
Heating of tissue leads to
- Coagulation
- Vaporization
- Carbonization
- Melting
Irreversible necrosis without immediate tissue destruction
Coagulation
Temperature required for coagulation
50-100°C for even a second
Coagulation happens due to
Denaturation of proteins and collagen as a result of increase in temperature
A process which produces thermal ablation of the tissue
Vaporization