Medical physics Medical physics Academic Staff Professor Philip H Butler Modelling of the interaction of light with tissue and the biological effects of rapid heating. The interaction of light with skin. The group includes plastic and reconstructive surgeon Mr E Peter Walker and is improving the treatment of port-wine stains, facial telangiectasia, spider naevi and other vascular lesions. They are now treating patients with the exposure and fluence parameters that modelling indicates will give an optimal treatment.
Results are in agreement with their modelling.
Clinical work is being carried out to determine the biological processes on the 1 to 10 ms timescale. Mrs Zhang has investigated the use of a ruby laser to remove tattoos in skin. Her work suggests that a much simpler option is to use a high power flashlamp. A 20 watt copper vapour laser fitted with a computerised scanning system is installed at St George's Hospital, Christchurch. Two 400 J flashlamp units are available.