Light as a universal tool in the field of medicine technology

Source: Medica - For many years, light has been an aid in the field of medicine that cannot be done without. Photonic procedures today in the fields of endoscopy, laser surgery, lab-on-a-chip systems, biomedical optical sensors, as well as other fields, are indispensable. Against this background, the 9th COMPAMED Spring Convention (7 May in Frankfurt am Main), which the Messe Düsseldorf has organised together with the microtechnology association, IVAM, took place this year under the motto “Glimmer of hope for medical technology – photonic applications for diagnosis and therapy procedures”, thereby giving a first outlook regarding the trends of the COMPAMED 2015 in Düsseldorf. With more than 700 exhibitors, for the first time, the internationally leading trade fair for medical technology suppliers is taking place completely parallel to the world’s largest medical trade fair, MEDICA 2015 (approx. 4,800 exhibitors), from 16 to 19 November. From now on, it will be held on the new days running from Monday to Thursday.

In particular, the fields of application of modern lasers are becoming ever more numerous. Lasers cut with a great deal more precision than any scalpel and they are additionally capable of fusing tissue together. This focused beam of light is also the tool of choice for removing stones in the body. In addition, lasers are superior to other technologies such as electrosurgery and sound-wave techniques, when it comes to cutting and removing soft tissue. Photonics have made particular progress in the case of minimally invasive operations. In addition, endoscopy entailing viewing into the body with specific instruments has been successfully implemented and continuously optimised for years. Thereby, the continual improvement of light sources, the guiding of light, and camera systems are decisive factors for being able to operate ever more gently, quicker and with an increasing level of precision.

In the field of medicine, there are also great hopes of being able to see directly into a cell. This objective entails understanding and verifying biological processes at a molecular or cellular level. In doing this, it offers the chance to recognise and better diagnose diseases at an early stage, and provide more specific treatment for them – with a method for recognising cancer early on, among other things. In the meantime, with the fluorescence microscope developed by Max Planck researcher, Stefan Hell from Göttingen, resolution is so high that individual molecules are visible. For this groundbreaking work on the fluorescence microscope that provides super resolution, he received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2014 together with his American colleagues, Eric Betzig and William Moerner – as well as a distinction in the field of medicine for “using light as tool”.

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