Do you dream of your body being able to shoot lasers? Well, today you’re in luck! Researchers are working on a laser that uses our blood.
This might seem like the plot of a very bad sci-fi movie, but it has important medical applications. A team of scientists from the University of Michigan is looking into this technology to help medical professionals hunt down tumors. But don’t worry, your blood is not suddenly going to shine bright red.
Using a special dye and a regular laser, the team was able to make blood emit infrared light. A doctor could then detect this emission with a heat-sensitive camera and trace areas of the body that are rich in blood vessels, such as tumors.
The scientists are investigating a dye called indocyanine green (ICG), which binds to proteins in blood plasma. The dye, which is already in use in medical imaging, is naturally fluorescent in near-infrared, but by using a visible light laser, the researchers were able to make the mixture shine much more brightly.
So far, the system has been tested by placing a blood-ICG mixture inside a small reflective cylinder and shooting it with a conventional laser. This set up forced the blood to glow.
While the research seems promising, it is still in its early stages, as tests have only been performed outside the body. “Eventually, we are trying to do it in the human body,” team leader Xudong Fan of the University of Michigan told New Scientist.
The team is also investigating the safety of the method. Although lasers are seen as dangerous and powerful, they are not all-purpose death rays. They are stimulated emissions of light and their power can be tuned for certain planned functions. The researchers will make sure that the glowing blood laser is powerful enough to shine a light on tumors, but doesn't end up cooking the patient.
[H/T: New Scientist]
