bmdo technologies for biomedical applications - MDA Technology

treatable. Lesions that appear on the face are cosmetically disturbing to thepatient, and occasionally a hemangioma can threaten eyesight or obstructthe nose or mouth. Researchers at Wellman have achieved truly remarkableresults with laser treatment of these lesions. Copper vapor lasers andNd:YAG lasers are used to deliver a 585-nanometer laser beam to theaffected area. After repeated treatments, the red pigment (from hemoglobinmostly) fades away, and the normal color of the skin emerges.In a related therapy, superficial capillaries, or spider veins, can also be treatedwith lasers. Wellman uses a 595-nanometer laser to obliterate theseunsightly but usually harmless veins. The alternative treatment, called sclerotherapy,involves injection of saline solution or other sclerosing compoundthat collapses the blood vessel walls. Sclerotherapy can be painfuland can result in discoloration that is more objectionable than the originalcondition. For cosmetic concerns of another sort, Wellman is also developinga method of laser depilation, similar to a technique that is now on themarket. The difference in Wellman’s technique is that the laser is used withoutpreapplication of a light-absorbing lotion. Thus far, studies have shownthat the laser method can prevent hair regrowth for up to 31 weeks.Laser-Induced Fluorescence of Cancerous Lesions. Laser-induced fluorescencespectroscopy has become an exciting window into the cell. Precisewavelengths induce precise excitations, and cancerous lesions can be seen asbright spots that can be well distinguished from their normal surroundings.In endoscopically accessible regions of the body, such as the bladder, esophagus,and lungs, a fiber-optic probe can deliver laser light and then transmitthe fluorescence response to a spectrometer, which analyzes the returninglight. At Wellman, doctors are using this technique to inspect the bladderwall in order to distinguish cancerous lesions from normal tissue. After comparingunique fluorescence patterns, a false-color imager can show the doctora well-defined picture of the tumor, allowing successful excision andavoiding surgical damage to the nondiseased portion of the bladder.VENTURES OR PRODUCT AVAILABILITYWellman continues to develop and implement novel treatments involvingthe use of light and photochemicals. Approximately $250 million in commercialrevenues have been generated by the laboratory’s photomedicineactivities, mostly through sales of medical lasers.79CONTACTMassachusetts General Hospital Laser CenterLynn OsbornBartlett Hall X 630Boston, MA 02114Telephone: (617) 726-2327Facsimile: (617) 726-4103Email: lyn@wlp.mgh.harvard.eduWWW: http://mghlc.mgh.harvard.eduBMDO Technologies for Biomedical ApplicationsChapter 3 - Intervention TechnologiesSection B - Treatment