Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026
09:43
Transmission of Multiple Signals through an Optical Fiber Using Wavefront Shaping
Published on: March 20, 2017
Wavefront Shaping for Deep-Tissue Therapeutic Light Delivery: From Optical Focusing to Precision Photomedicine
Ziyi Wu1,2,3, Jinze Li1,2,3, Duheng Fei1,2,3
1Integrative Regeneration laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine
|August 4, 2026
Summary
Wavefront shaping (WFS) shows promise for deep-tissue phototherapy, overcoming optical limitations. Further research is needed to validate therapeutic effectiveness and ensure clinical translation for treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Optics
- Phototherapy
- Translational Science
Background:
- Conventional optics are limited to ~1 mm penetration in biological tissue.
- Deep-tissue phototherapy faces challenges in light penetration and targeted energy delivery.
- Wavefront shaping (WFS) offers potential solutions to overcome these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate wavefront shaping (WFS) for deep-tissue phototherapy.
- To assess WFS progress and translational readiness across key clinical dimensions.
- To compare WFS strategies against phototherapy requirements: penetration depth, accuracy, stability, and translation.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of three WFS strategies: feedback iterative optimization, transmission matrix (TM) measurement, and optical phase conjugation (OPC).
- Evaluation based on penetration depth, energy deposition accuracy, dynamic stability, and clinical translation.
- Analysis of studies focusing on WFS capabilities in biological tissues.
Main Results:
- WFS, particularly Time-Reversal of Ultrasound-encoded (TRUE)-based WFS, achieved focusing through ~2 mm of brain tissue, exceeding conventional optics.
- High peak-to-background ratios (>400) and millisecond-scale system response times were demonstrated.
- No study simultaneously showed millisecond-scale correction with sustained, therapeutically effective, and safe light delivery in vivo.
Conclusions:
- WFS possesses strong optical capabilities to address physical barriers in conventional phototherapy.
- Clinical translation necessitates a shift from optical demonstration to therapeutic validation.
- Standardized preclinical protocols, accurate light-dose measurement, and multidimensional biological endpoint assessment are crucial for WFS translation.
