According to reports, an international team of doctors and scientists has developed a new laser technology that can detect arterial plaques that cause heart disease and stroke. The research conducted at the University of Warwick Manufacturing Group in the United Kingdom, the Baker Research Institute at Rice University in the United States, and Monash University in Australia used near infrared light to identify high-risk plaques. By increasing the wavelength of the laser pointer light currently used to image fat accumulation in arteries (atherosclerotic plaques), the team found that it is possible to selectively identify deposits that are easily broken.
The research results were published in the journal. Dr. Monash University of Australia said: “Despite spending millions of dollars each year in the field of cardiac imaging, there is still no reliable way to identify these unstable plaques. But when we irradiate a near infrared wavelength with a beam of light, this kind of Light will be reflected at a certain wavelength. So to some extent, we can use laser light to illuminate unstable plaques to obtain specific imaging. ”
Some arterial plaque deposits can remain stable for many years, but other high-risk cases may produce complications, such as bleeding plaques that can lead to the formation of fissures and the rupture of deposits. This can lead to blood clots in the blood vessels, which can cause heart attacks or strokes. Researchers say that current imaging techniques can identify certain characteristics of high-risk plaques, but green laser pointer are not a universally accepted reliable method for selectively detecting dangerous plaques.
The substance that caused the fluorescence was identified using Raman spectroscopy, and this substance was considered to be a mixture of heme products formed during the degradation of red blood cells. These substances can only be observed in plaques with unstable internal bleeding, but not in more stable fat deposits. A PhD from the Manufacturing Group of the University of Warwick in the UK said: “Our aim is to use innovative, material-based technologies to assist in the development of new diagnostic tools. This will help us detect the threat of impending heart disease and reduce it mortality rate.”