• Medical Lasers
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.146-152
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• 2021

Background and Objectives Although lasers have been widely applied in tissue treatment, the light penetration depth in tissues is limited by the tissue turbidity and affected by its absorption and scattering characteristics. This study investigated the effect of using an optical clearing agent (OCA) on tissue to improve the therapeutic effect of 1064 nm wavelength laser light by reducing the heat generated on the skin surface and increasing the penetration depth. Materials and Methods A diode laser (λ = 1064 nm) was applied to a porcine specimen with and without OCA to investigate the penetration depth of the laser light and temperature distribution. A numerical simulation using the finite element method was performed to investigate the temperature distribution of the specimen compared to ex-vivo experiments using a thermocouple and double-integrating sphere to measure the temperature profile and optical properties of the tissue, respectively. Results Simulation results showed a decrease in tissue surface temperature with increased penetration depth when the OCA was applied. Furthermore, both absorption and scattering coefficients decreased with the application of OCA. In ex-vivo experiments, temperatures decreased for the tissue surface and the fat layer with the OCA, but not for the muscle layer. Conclusion The use of an OCA may be helpful for reducing surface heat generation and enhance the light penetration depth in various near-infrared laser treatments.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.289-295
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• 2013

Although low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been a valuable therapeutic technology in the clinic, its efficacy may be reduced in deep tissue layers due to strong light scattering which limits the photon density. In order to enhance the photon density in deep tissue layers, this study developed an optical tissue clearing (OTC) laser probe (OTCLP) system which can utilize four different OTC methods: 1) tissue temperature control from 40 to $10^{\circ}C$; 2) laser pulse frequency from 5 to 30 Hz; 3) glycerol injection at a local region; and 4) a combination of the aforementioned three methods. The efficacy of the OTC methods was evaluated and compared by investigating laser beam profiles in ex-vivo porcine skin samples. Results demonstrated that total (peak) intensity at full width at half maximum of laser beam profile when compared to control data was increased: 1) 1.21(1.39)-fold at $10^{\circ}C$; 2) 1.22 (1.49)-fold at a laser pulse frequency of 5 Hz; 3) 1.64 (2.41)-fold with 95% glycerol injection; 4) 1.86 (3.4)-fold with the combination method. In conclusion, the OTCLP system successfully improved the laser photon density in deep tissue layers and may be utilized as a useful tool in LLLT by increasing laser photon density.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.86-90
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• 2013

Various methods have been proposed for enhancing the contrast of laser speckle contrast image (LSCI) in subcutaneous blood flow measurements. However, the LSCI still suffers from low image contrast due to tissue turbidity. Herein, a physicochemical tissue optical clearing (PCTOC) method was employed to enhance the contrast of LSCI. Ex vivo and in vivo experiments were performed with porcine skin samples and male ICR mice, respectively. The ex vivo LSCIs were obtained before and 90 min after the application of the PCTOC and in vivo LSCIs were obtained for 60 min after the application of the PCTOC. In order to obtain the skin recovery images, saline was applied for 30 min after the application of the PCTOC was completed. The visible appearance of the tubing under ex vivo samples and the in vivo vasculature gradually enhanced over time. The LSCI increased as a function of time after the application of the PCTOC in both ex vivo and in vivo experiments, and properly recovered to initial conditions after the application of saline in the in vivo experiment. The LSCI combined with the PCTOC was greatly enhanced even in deep vasculature. It is expected that similar results will be obtained in in vivo human studies.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제52권1호
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• pp.1-17
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• 2020

조직병리학에서 현미경을 이용한 삼차원적 접근법은, 이차원 단면의 조직 슬라이드에서 박절 과정 중 부차적으로 발생하는 공간정보의 손실로 인하여 확인하기 어려웠던, 조직 내부 분자들의 공간적 배열, 상호결합, 구조적인 형태와 이들의 통합적인 공간적 정보체로서, 조직 내에 복잡하게 얽혀진 다양한 정보를 풀어내는데 있어서 복합적인 데이터를 제시하여 준다. 이광자 현미경(two-photon microscope)과 자동화된 보정환(correction collar)이 탑재된 고성능 대물렌즈의 개발과 같은 광학장비 영역의 발전은 조직투명화 과정을 거치지 않은 두꺼운 시료의 이미징에 있어서 광학적인 이론과 실체 사이에 존재하는 격차를 줄이는데 기여하였다고 할 수 있다. 하지만, 대물렌즈의 길어진 작동범위(working distance)와 최적화된 고강도 레이저의 사용으로 얻게 되는 이점들은 세포 내 각 구성요소의 굴절률(refractive index) 차이로 인하여 증가되는 빛의 분산(light scattering) 현상으로 인해 자연스럽게 감소하게 된다. 조직투명화 기술이 처음 등장하였던 초창기 시도되던 간단한 굴절률 일치화(RI matching) 기법에서부터 현대의 최첨단 통합 조직 투명화 기술에 이르기 까지를 관찰하여 볼 때, 형태학적인 변화없이 조직의 투명도를 높이는 것과, 내재적으로 또는 고정과정 중에 유래되어 혼합된 자가형광 노이즈를 효과적으로 제거하는것이 선명한 이미지를 얻기 위한 주요한 고려대상이라고 할 수 있다. CLARITY는 장비에 기반한 조직투명화 기법으로서 임상 조직병리 실험실에서 처리되는 동결절편과 포르말린에 고정된 검체 모두의 투명화를 위한 실험실 작업흐름(workflow) 통합 및 일상적인 실험절차와 호환이 가능할 것으로 보여진다.