Novel flexible light diffuser and irradiation properties for photodynamic therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Optical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Current photodynamic therapy (PDT) light diffusers lack flexibility, hindering treatment on complex body surfaces.
• Precise control of light dose during PDT is challenging with existing inflexible diffuser technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a thin, flexible luminous textile diffuser for photodynamic therapy (PDT).
• To assess the textile diffuser's performance characteristics, including flexibility, irradiance, brightness distribution, and temperature rise.

Main Methods:

• A novel textile diffuser was fabricated using plastic optical fibers as a light distributor.
• Performance was evaluated using a 652-nm laser at 100 mW, measuring bending force, output power, transmission rate, brightness distribution, and temperature increase.
• The effect of aluminum backing on irradiance was also investigated.

Main Results:

• The textile diffuser demonstrated flexibility comparable to optical films.
• An average output power of 3.6+/-0.6 mW/cm² was achieved with a 40+/-3.8% transmission rate over 11 cm².
• Temperature rise was limited to 27°C at 100 mW and below 40°C at 1W, with aluminum backing enhancing irradiance.

Conclusions:

• The developed flexible textile diffuser is suitable for delivering radiation in low fluence rate photodynamic therapy (PDT).
• This innovation offers improved light dose adjustability for treating complex anatomical areas.
• The textile diffuser represents a promising advancement for wearable and adaptable PDT applications.