What is terahertz polarimetry and how does it work?

Terahertz polarimetry is a technique that uses terahertz (THz) waves to analyze the polarization properties of tissues. By measuring how these waves interact wiht tissue structures, scientists can identify microscopic changes associated with diseases like cancer or skin damage.

How could terahertz imaging improve cancer detection?

Terahertz imaging offers a non-invasive way to detect subtle differences between healthy and cancerous tissues. This method could lead to earlier and more accurate cancer diagnoses, improving patient outcomes.

What are the advantages of using terahertz waves for medical imaging?

Terahertz waves are non-ionizing, meaning they don't damage DNA like X-rays. This makes them safer for repeated use in medical imaging, especially for sensitive tissues like skin.

What are the next steps for Stony brook University's terahertz polarimetry research?

The research team plans to apply their terahertz polarimetry technique to cancer tissue samples and enhance the technology to capture even smaller tissue features. This could potentially resolve structures as small as 10 to 30 microns.

How does this terahertz method compare to existing diagnostic techniques?

Unlike many existing methods that rely on water content differences, terahertz polarimetry focuses on microscopic structural changes within tissues. This approach may offer a more nuanced and accurate way to diagnose complex diseases.

Can terahertz polarimetry be used for other medical applications besides cancer and burns?

While the initial research focuses on cancer and burns, terahertz polarimetry has the potential to be applied to a wide range of medical conditions where microscopic tissue changes are indicative of disease, such as arthritis or cardiovascular disease.

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Health

Chronic Respiratory Diseases: A Gender Perspective – Conference Recap

by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor October 15, 2025

written by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor

Gender⁣ Plays a Key Role in Respiratory Health: Experts Meet to Bridge the Gap

Apuan ‌Hospital ‍ hosted a ⁢vital scientific meeting on Saturday, bringing⁣ together pulmonologists, GPs, nurses, psychologists, and patient advocates to ‌discuss a critical, often overlooked ⁤aspect of respiratory care: gender. Organized by AIPO-ITS/ETS – the italian Association of Hospital Pneumologists, the⁢ event, titled‍ “Chronic respiratory diseases ⁣from a gender perspective: comparing opinions,” aimed to foster a multidisciplinary conversation about tailoring diagnosis and treatment ‌to ‌account for sex⁢ and‍ gender differences.

Dr.⁣ Filomena Marrelli emphasized the importance of gender medicine, stating, “It’s essential for ensuring equitable care and effective treatment. Biological, hormonal, and social and cultural factors significantly influence how chronic respiratory diseases develop, ‌progress, and respond to therapy.” She highlighted the need for increased knowledge, training, and collaboration between‌ healthcare professionals across hospital and community settings.

With chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) being a leading cause of illness and death – and numbers projected to rise – the meeting focused specifically on severe asthma and interstitial lung disease. Dr. Valentina Pinelli revealed striking data: over 60% of patients registered with ‌severe asthma are women. Research suggests this might potentially⁢ be linked to women’s tendency to downplay symptoms,leading‍ to delayed diagnosis,disease progression,and increased hospitalizations.

The day’s discussions covered the practical application of gender medicine, specific gender-based differences in asthma and interstitial lung disease treatment, the crucial role of patient associations, and strengthening the connection ‍between hospital and community care for those living with ‍CRDs.

This meeting underscores a growing recognition that a one-size-fits-all approach to respiratory ‍health is insufficient, and that ‌understanding the unique needs of ⁢male and female patients is paramount to improving outcomes.

October 15, 2025 0 comments

Technology

Macquarie University narrows laser linewidth for quantum computing, atomic clocks

by Rachel Kim – Technology Editor July 23, 2025

written by Rachel Kim – Technology Editor

Macquarie Laser Breakthrough Shatters Linewidth Limits

New Raman Scattering Technique Achieves Ten Thousand-Fold Narrowing

Scientists at Macquarie University have unveiled a groundbreaking laser purification method, significantly improving spectral purity for critical scientific applications. This novel technique offers unprecedented control over laser frequency, a key factor in fields ranging from quantum computing to advanced sensing.

Raman Scattering Outperforms Brillouin Lasers

The project, detailed in APL Photonics, utilizes stimulated Raman scattering to drastically narrow a laser beam’s linewidth. This advancement surpasses current methods, such as Brillouin lasers, by a substantial margin.

“Our technique uses stimulated Raman scattering, where the laser stimulates much higher frequency vibrations in the material, and is thousands of times more effective at narrowing linewidth,” explained **Richard Mildren** of the MQ Photonics Research Centre. He contrasted this with existing Brillouin lasers, noting, “One current method to narrow laser linewidth uses Brillouin lasers, where sound waves interact with light; but the effect is relatively weak, typically narrowing by only tens to hundreds of times.”

Diamond Crystal Enhances Vibration Damping

The Macquarie team’s approach leverages the intrinsic properties of diamond crystals. These materials, chosen for their excellent thermal characteristics and stability, facilitate the efficient dissipation of laser phase fluctuations as vibrations.

In their experiments, a laser beam with a linewidth exceeding 10 MHz was directed through a small diamond crystal within a specialized cavity. The Raman scattering process effectively transferred the laser’s inherent phase noise into vibrational energy within the diamond, where it was absorbed in mere trillionths of a second.

The outcome was a dramatic reduction in the laser beam’s linewidth, narrowed to the 1 kHz limit of the detection equipment. This represents a reduction factor greater than 10,000, with potential for even greater improvement.

“Our computer modeling suggests we could narrow laser linewidth by more than 10 million times using variations of the current design,” added Macquarie’s **David Spence**. This enhanced spectral purity could revolutionize fields like atomic clocks and gravitational wave detection.

Future Applications in Quantum Technology

The breakthrough holds significant promise for quantum computing, where precise laser control is paramount. Reducing phase noise is crucial for minimizing errors in quantum computations.

Richard Mildren emphasized the broad applicability of the new method: “We are essentially proposing a new technique for purifying the spectrum of lasers that can be applied to many different types of input lasers.”

The development aligns with a growing need for high-precision optical components. For instance, the accuracy of modern GPS systems relies on atomic clocks that benefit from more stable laser frequencies, with the global market for atomic clocks projected to reach $1.7 billion by 2027 (Fortune Business Insights 2024).

July 23, 2025 0 comments

Health

Dual-wavelength strategy improves phototherapy of cancer

by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor June 17, 2025

written by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor

Dual-Laser Approach Offers Advanced Cancer Treatment

New Method Uses Two Wavelengths to Target Tumors While Minimizing Damage

A novel cancer treatment method utilizes a dual-laser approach to eradicate tumors while preserving healthy tissue. This technique, developed by researchers, offers a promising advancement in photothermal therapy for cancer treatment, potentially revolutionizing how we combat the disease.

Innovative Dual-Laser Photothermal Therapy

A project spearheaded by China’s **Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT)** developed a new strategy using dual-wavelength irradiation. This could potentially transform breast cancer photothermal therapy. Their method exploits the properties of the organic molecule PM331 and its thermal behavior.

The SIAT team created PM331@F127 nanoparticles using Pluronic F-127, a commercial copolymer. This controlled fabrication resulted in particles displaying high thermal conversion efficiencies at specific wavelengths.

“Leveraging these characteristics, we developed a dual-laser PTT strategy that integrates the benefits of traditional high-temperature and low-temperature PTT,”

—SIAT Project Team

According to the American Cancer Society, in 2024, there will be an estimated 300,590 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women. (Source)

How the Dual-Laser System Works

The dual-laser photothermal therapy treatment is divided into two phases. Initially, an 808-nanometer laser irradiation induces DNA damage, around 50 degrees Celsius, while suppressing a heat shock protein. This is followed by a 1,064-nanometer laser treatment, which ablates residual cancer cells with minimal inflammatory response.

Tracking nanoparticles and targeting the laser was achieved by utilizing the second near-IR absorption of PM331@F127 particles alongside photoacoustic imaging. This process allows for precise targeting and helps locate tumors deep within tissues.

Promising Results and Future Directions

Tests on mice demonstrated that the dual-laser PTT successfully eliminated tumors with low toxicity, indicated by stable body weights and minimal inflammatory cytokine production. The group stated that this study supports the advancement of imaging-guided tumor phototherapy, which will help with immunotherapy integration.

Future integration with immunotherapy may offer a potent solution to combat tumor metastasis and recurrence.

June 17, 2025 0 comments

Health

Terahertz Imaging Detects Hidden Tissue Damage & Disease

by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor June 11, 2025

written by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor

Terahertz Polarimetry: Stony brook’s Breakthrough in Skin Damage and Cancer Detection

Table of Contents

Terahertz Polarimetry: Stony brook’s Breakthrough in Skin Damage and Cancer Detection

Researchers at Stony Brook University have developed a novel method using terahertz (THz) polarimetry to detect subtle tissue alterations linked to skin damage from burns and potentially skin cancer. This innovative approach, detailed in the Journal of Biomedical Optics, could revolutionize diagnostic procedures and treatment monitoring by providing clinicians with enhanced tools to identify key diagnostic markers. The global medical imaging market is projected to reach $51.4 billion by 2028, highlighting the demand for advanced diagnostic technologies like THz imaging, according to a report by Fortune Business Insights.

The Promise of Terahertz Imaging

Terahertz imaging, situated between infrared and microwave frequencies, presents a non-invasive and non-ionizing alternative for examining delicate surfaces like skin tissues.This characteristic offers significant advantages over traditional methods that may pose risks to patients.

Did You Know? terahertz waves can penetrate clothing and other materials, making them useful for security screening as well as medical imaging.

Limitations of Current THz Imaging Techniques

The Stony Brook team emphasized that current THz imaging techniques frequently enough rely on differences in water content between healthy and diseased tissue, which can be an oversimplified approach for complex conditions. Moreover, the mechanisms behind polarization responses in tissues remain poorly understood.

Mie Scattering: A Novel Approach

To overcome these limitations, the Stony Brook project focused on how polarized THz light interacts with microscopic features that vary between healthy, diseased, and damaged tissue. They specifically examined Mie scattering, which occurs when scattering features have a diameter comparable to the incident wavelength.

By measuring polarization changes resulting from Mie scattering within the tissue, researchers can potentially quantify different stages of disease progression.

Key Findings and Methodology

Given the complexity of THz interaction with tissues, the Stony Brook team initially used tissue phantoms to optimize the modeling of thz waves scattered from spherical particles embedded in highly absorbing biological media. This work demonstrated that tissue’s polarization properties can be characterized using a single polarization measurement, simplifying conventional approaches.

Pro Tip: Understanding the properties of light and it’s interaction with matter is crucial for developing advanced imaging techniques.

The technique was then applied to THz imaging of induced burns in ex vivo porcine skin samples. Mapping the degree of polarization and diffuse backscattered intensity revealed a clear contrast between burned and healthy tissues.

Comparison of Healthy and Burned Tissue
Tissue Type	Degree of Polarization	Backscattered Intensity
Healthy	Lower	Lower
Burned	Higher	Higher

The Science Behind the Results

The team theorized that the higher degree of polarization in burned skin may result from the destruction of large skin structures,leading to an overall decrease in the average size of scattering sources. The higher backscattered intensity could be attributed to water loss from the damaged tissues.

Future Directions

The next steps involve applying the technique to cancer tissue samples and expanding THz measurement capabilities to capture even smaller tissue features. With larger bandwidth,this polarimetric technique could potentially resolve structures as small as 10 to 30 microns in size,encompassing a wider range of disease-related tissue changes.

According to the National Cancer Institute, early detection is crucial for improving cancer survival rates. Techniques like THz polarimetry could play a significant role in achieving this goal.

Will this technology become a standard diagnostic tool in the future? What other medical applications could benefit from terahertz imaging?

The Growing Importance of Non-invasive Diagnostics

The development of non-invasive diagnostic tools is a rapidly growing field in medicine. Traditional methods often involve invasive procedures like biopsies, which can be painful and carry risks. Non-invasive techniques like terahertz imaging offer a safer and more comfortable alternative for patients.

The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and the aging global population are driving the demand for advanced diagnostic technologies. As research continues to advance, non-invasive methods are expected to play an increasingly crucial role in healthcare.

Frequently Asked Questions About Terahertz Imaging

What are the potential risks of terahertz imaging?

Terahertz waves are non-ionizing,meaning they do not damage DNA like X-rays. This makes them generally safe for medical imaging. However, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of terahertz exposure.

How expensive is terahertz imaging technology?

Currently, terahertz imaging systems can be expensive, which limits their widespread adoption. However,as the technology matures and production costs decrease,it is expected that terahertz imaging will become more affordable and accessible.

How long does a terahertz imaging scan take?

The duration of a terahertz imaging scan can vary depending on the specific application and the area being imaged.However, scans are generally swift and can be completed in a matter of minutes.

Disclaimer: This article provides data for general knowledge and awareness only. It does not constitute medical advice and shoudl not be substituted for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider.

Share this article and join the discussion! What are your thoughts on the future of terahertz imaging in medicine?

June 11, 2025 0 comments