Lasers for Surgery and Photodynamic Therapy Final Report CRADA No. TC-0437-93
This proposed project is designed to apply the combined resources and expertise of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine (WL) to develop several new diode laser systems for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT) and to develop diode-pumped solid state infrared lasers for surgery. The use oflaser light-activated photosensitive dyes in the treatment and diagnosis of disease is developing rapidly. Current PDT relies on the use of large, expensive, and inefficient argon-ion laser pumped dye lasers as sources. The recent advances in the technology of diode lasers emitted in the 620-700 nm region offers an opportunity to make source technology for PDT more reliable, compact, and efficient. This project will develop visible diode lasers and control system for photodynamic therapy, and infrared diode pumped solid-state lasers for applications to surgery. Testing and evaluation of the laser systems will be performed at WL using cells, tissue in vitro, animal models, and ultimately human subjects in clinical trials. Once clinical testing is complete, commercialization will be pursued through WL ties to the medical laser industry. Several efforts within this proposed program are of interest to a number of other potential ti.NL funding sources. In particular, several of the diode pumped solid-state devices share some commonalty with work being proposed in conjunction with the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic. A further example is the commonalty with LLNL existing and proposed efforts in coupling high average power diode arrays into fiber optic delivery systems.