Adaptive optical waveguide system for large-area and overheating-preventing phototherapy in deep tissue
Zhenhao Wang1, Zhaoxiang Yang1, Yingchao Ma1
1School of Chemistry and Life Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.
Nature Communications
|March 1, 2026
Summary
An adaptive optical waveguide system (AOWS) enhances interventional phototherapy safety. It uses a thermally responsive liquid to prevent overheating, improving treatment efficacy and biosafety for superficial diseases.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Optical Physics
- Photomedicine
Background:
- Phototherapy is limited to superficial diseases due to poor light penetration.
- Interventional phototherapy with optical fibers risks overheating healthy tissues.
- Current methods lack immediate thermal regulation for enhanced biosafety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an adaptive optical waveguide system (AOWS) for improved interventional phototherapy biosafety.
- To create a system with effective thermal regulation and precise light delivery.
- To enhance the safety and efficacy of phototherapy by mitigating tissue overheating.
Main Methods:
- Developed an AOWS utilizing a thermally responsive liquid with a tunable low critical solution temperature (LCST).
- Implemented a negative feedback modulation mechanism for thermal regulation.
- Designed adjustable optical fiber outlets with variable configurations and curvatures for controlled light divergence.
Main Results:
- The AOWS effectively regulates temperature by scattering light when the LCST is exceeded.
- Adjustable outlets allow for precise control of the light divergence angle.
- The system enables closer placement to lesions, increasing illumination area and reducing light exposure to normal tissue.
Conclusions:
- The AOWS provides significant thermal protection, acting like an 'on-off' switch independent of irradiation power.
- This innovation enhances the biosafety and efficacy of interventional phototherapy.
- The system offers a promising approach for treating superficial diseases with improved safety profiles.
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