Sep 27 2010
An article published in the ACS' Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN) weekly newsmagazine reported that portable instruments that utilize a laser ray to examine teeth and bones, for diseases such as tooth decay and osteoporosis will soon become a reality.
The Senior Editor of C&EN, Celia Henry Arnaud stated that the new diagnostic instruments would have the potential to see underneath the skin and diagnose disease, without the need for exposing the patients to X-rays. The diagnostic tools use the Raman spectroscopy technology, which involves directing a laser ray via the skin onto the tooth surface. The beam, after striking the target, returns back to an electronic detector with details about the diseases present, Arnaud added.
The article reports about the increasing interest in the medical field for Raman-based instruments, for detecting osteoporosis and other bone-related diseases. The instrument is also likely to be used in early identification of tooth decay, enabling dentists to offer the option of treating soft spots on tooth enamel. The article also informs that the technique may also allow blood tests to be taken without obtaining blood samples.