Tunable Laser Therapy with OCT Feedback for Depth Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laser therapy for treating early epithelial cancers and Barrett's Esophagus faces challenges in accurately controlling treatment depth, leading to incomplete therapy or excessive damage due to variability in tissue thickness and compliance, resulting in disease recurrence or complications.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using electromagnetic radiation to cause temperature changes in biological samples, with phase and amplitude analysis of interferometric signals to control thermal injury depth and minimize collateral damage, employing a tunable laser system operating between 1.35 µm to 2.2 µm wavelengths to optimize absorption by water and adjust power and exposure duration for precise therapy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If laser therapy is applied to treat epithelial cancers and Barrett's Esophagus, then therapeutic effect is achieved, but control over treatment depth is poor leading to incomplete therapy or excessive damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs real-time optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging to monitor tissue depth and structure during laser therapy. The OCT system provides continuous feedback on the treatment depth by detecting the boundary between normal and abnormal tissue layers, allowing the laser power and exposure duration to be dynamically adjusted to achieve precise therapeutic effects while preventing both incomplete treatment and excessive damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes wavelength-tunable laser radiation (1.35-2.2 µm range) to optimize tissue absorption characteristics. By changing the laser wavelength parameter, the system can control the penetration depth and absorption efficiency in different tissue types, enabling precise depth control for varying lesion depths while maintaining reliable therapeutic effects.
2Reliability
If laser power and exposure duration are increased to ensure complete therapy, then treatment completeness improves, but collateral damage to adjacent tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies laser energy with spatially selective distribution based on real-time OCT imaging. The laser is targeted only at the identified abnormal tissue regions while preserving surrounding healthy tissue. The OCT-guided approach ensures that therapeutic energy is concentrated locally at the lesion site, achieving complete therapy without causing collateral damage to adjacent normal tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time OCT monitoring provides continuous feedback on tissue response to laser heating. The system detects temperature-induced changes in tissue optical properties and dynamically adjusts laser parameters to maintain therapeutic effectiveness while preventing excessive heating and collateral damage to surrounding tissues.
3Manufacturing precision
If fixed-depth therapy is applied to account for tissue variability, then consistency in treatment depth is achieved, but under-treatment or over-treatment occurs due to compression and thickness variation
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static fixed-depth therapy to dynamic depth adaptation. Real-time OCT imaging continuously measures the actual tissue depth and compression state during the procedure, allowing the treatment depth to be dynamically adjusted to match the actual anatomical conditions. This ensures both depth consistency and treatment effectiveness despite tissue variability and compression.
Solution Approach 2:
The OCT system provides real-time feedback on actual tissue depth and structure, enabling closed-loop control of the laser therapy parameters. The system continuously monitors tissue response and adjusts the treatment depth accordingly, ensuring consistent and effective therapy despite variations in tissue thickness and compression during the procedure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise and controlled laser therapy with reduced risk of recurrence or complications by accurately determining the depth of thermal injury and minimizing damage to adjacent tissues, improving the effectiveness of epithelial cancer treatment while maintaining tissue integrity.
Implementation Method 1
A temperature change can be caused in the portion of the sample. At least one first electro-magnetic radiation can be forwarded to a section near or in the portion of the sample
Implementation Method 2
A deformation of the section can be identified at a plurality of depths as a function of (i) a phase of at least one second electro-magnetic radiation provided from the section, and/or (ii) a rate of change of the phase and/or an amplitude of the second electro-magnetic radiation
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~3
Figure 4
AI summary
In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, method and system can be provided for obtaining information associated with at least one portion of a sample. For example, a temperature change can be caused in the portion of the sample. At least one first electro-magnetic radiation can be forwarded to a section near or in the portion of the sample. A deformation of the section can be identified at a plurality of depths as a function of (i) a phase of at least one second electro- magnetic radiation provided from the section, and/or (ii) a rate of change of the phase and/or an amplitude of the second electro-magnetic radiation. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, method and system can be provided for controlling a temperature distribution in a sample. For example, an electro-magnetic radiation can be provided to the section in the sample at a particular wavelength. The temperature distribution can be controlled by modifying the particular wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation when the electro-magnetic radiation is provided to the section.