At the upcoming OSA Biophotonics Congress in San Diego, California, researchers from the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic and the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of California, Irvine will be reporting on a new device that can help gauge the severity and type of skin damage caused by radiation therapy.
Developed by Modulated Imaging, a company based in Irvine, the device projects different wavelengths of visible and near-infrared light onto the skin, sweeping it with light patterns that help to remove the effect of scattering from the measured signal. The technique is called Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI), and Modulated Imaging’s Reflect RS is the only system available to researchers utilizing this technology.
The researchers were able to measure the amount of melanin within the skin of women treated for breast cancer. This measurement allowed for estimates of total blood volume and oxygenation of the skin, helping to provide an objective assessment of its health.
Of course this system is not yet ready for clinical use and its capabilities will need to be further evaluated in larger studies.
Via: The Optical Society…