Product Code: ICA11_M1311

Photonics in Medicine - From Diagnostics to Training
Authors:
Michael Schmidt, Bayerisches Laserzentrum Erlangen, Chair of Photonic Technologies, University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT), University of Erlangen-Nurnberg; Erlangen Germany
Maik Zimmermann, Bayerisches Laserzentrum Erlangen, Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT), University of Erlangen-Nurnberg; Erlangen Germany
Martin Hohmann, Chair of Photonic Technologies, University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Graduate School of Advanced Optical Technologies, University of Erlangen-Nurnberg; Erlangen Germany
Jan Paulus, Chair of Photonic Technologies, University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Graduate School of Advanced Optical Technologies, University of Erlangen-Nurnberg; Erlangen Germany
Presented at ICALEO 2011

Medical photonic technologies already address a wide range of human applications. With the advancing knowledge about optics more and more possible applications arise. Here we will present three different novel examples ranging from diagnostic analyses to perceptual training of sportsmen that all use new photonic knowledge.
To predict diseases such as laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx) via non-contact and minimal invasive measurements we develop an optical system that allows the analysis of the 3-dimensional vocal dynamics by using a high-speed camera and associated software. With a triangulation based sensor and 200 laser generated measuring points the 3D surface can be calculated.
For detection of cancer or other pathological lesions in the stomach we implement a hyperspectral reflectance and multispectral fluorescence video endoscope. It is currently tested with hard tissue phantoms. Further studies like ex-vivo and in-vivo animal experiments are planned. The final goal is to develop reliable and robust hardware and software to automatically distinguish between cancerous and normal tissue.
In sports applications but also in other areas higher performance of depth vision results in lower reaction times and higher precision. Literature proves that vision can be improved by perceptual training. We develop a virtual training system for depth vision of sportsman. As a first step the performance of depth vision is evaluated by an interactive gesture controlled vision test that simulates depth by stereo rendering.
These examples show that photonics in medicine helps to better understand human body and thus produces new fields of application in diagnostics and therapy.