Most recently, glucose and other solutes can be detected, adds Chance. Possibilities for studying neuronal and axonal function by light scattering were presented. Extrinsic probes of contrast agents currently indicate the nature of the vascular bed closely related to tumor development and may measure important cell parameters, membrance potentials, intracellular signals, and perhaps even antibodies in the future, Chance explains. Outcomes have been improved through an optical study of brain bleeds or hematomas, and many contributions described studies of tumor-bearing breasts with some indication of specificity. Diagnosis of tumors by their fluorescence properties is ongoing in several laboratories.
Clinical trials are also in progress.
The optical devices which can be used for these medical problems are continuous light trend indicators, pulsed light gold standards, frequency domain devices for spectroscopy and imaging, and finally, phase cancellation or interference devices which give high sensitivity of the center of gravity of the tumor, and some indication of their sizes, says Chance. Imaging devices may exploit all of the above methods to obtain images which are currently at a resolution of approximately a cm of diameter object with a 2 mm fuzziness deep within a highly scattering environment such as breast or brain. The work showed translucent droplets in highly scattering media so you can see the changing shapes. This has a lot of implications for the study of tumors. You can also change the wavelength of the light to highlight various areas of scattering into the fat and water content.