Light it up! - New device can see through human body

A camera that can see through the human body is the result of a collaborative project at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University.

The device works by detecting sources of light inside the body and has been designed to help track endoscopes that are used to examine internal conditions.

The camera tracks the light on the tip of the endoscope, which until now has not been possible to track without using X-rays or other methods. Rather than travelling straight through, light from the endoscope usually scatters or bounces off tissue and organs making it difficult to get a clear picture of where the device is.

By tracking individual particles of light (photons) the camera can detect tiny traces of light that pass through the body’s tissue from the light of the endoscope.

The team developed a silicon chip that integrates thousands of single photon detectors, similar to what is featured in a digital camera.

The camera can detect the scattered light by recording how long it takes for light to pass through the body. By recording both the scattered light and the light that travels straight to the camera, the camera can track exactly where the endoscope is located within the body.

The project is part of the Proteus Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration which is developing new technologies for diagnosing and treating lung diseases.

Early tests of the camera have shown that it can track the location of a point light source through 20 centimetres of tissue.

Professor Kev Dhaliwal, of the University of Edinburgh, said: “This is an enabling technology that allows us to see through the human body. It has immense potential for diverse applications such as the one described in this work. The ability to see a device’s location is crucial for many applications in healthcare, as we move forwards with minimally invasive approaches to treating disease.”

Dr Michael Tanner, of Heriot-Watt University, said: “My favourite element of this work was the ability to work with clinicians to understand a practical healthcare challenge, then tailor advanced technologies and principles that would not normally make it out of a physics lab to solve real problems. I hope we can continue this interdisciplinary approach to make a real difference in healthcare technology.”

The research is published in the journal Biomedical Optics Express.