Wavelength-Dependent Laser-Tissue Interaction and Histopathological Response in a Rat Model: An Integrated In Vivo Experimental Framework
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The way that lasers interact with tissue varies among the types of lasers used based on the optical wavelength. All other factors (including but not limited to tissue composition and beam geometry) being equal, absorption, scattering, reflection and transmission differ between wound healing and scarring tissue and the laser wavelength. Visible and near-visible wavelengths are absorbed by hemoglobin, melanin and water. In addition to these chromophores, near-infrared (NIR), such as 808- and 1064-nm light, is absorbed minimally by all biomolecules, which contributes, in part, to its greater effective attenuation coefficient compared with higher chromophore absorption for many visible wavelengths. Generally, near-infrared light penetrates more deeply in tissue than a similar dose from a visible wavelength might. Nonetheless, penetration cannot be assured from wavelength alone. As with any wavelength, penetration depends on the dose and on the tissue-specific optical properties, absorption, scattering, reflection and transmission. Moreover, scarring and healing tissue are biophysically different, and it stands to reason that the behavior of optical transport would differ between the two. However, no rigorous in vivo comparison of wavelength-dependent optical-transport behavior near the surface of healing and scarring tissue has been reported in the literature. We propose an experiment to fill this gap. The objective of this research is not to determine the potential of laser-induced injury or healing. Rather, it is to determine to what degree the healing and scarring skin should respond differently if irradiation of the two were less than a fraction of a millimeter from the surface.
Source: EJSMT
Author: Sarah Jawad Shoja
Institution: Middle Technical University
Language: English
Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7204933864