Development of Low-Cost Photodynamic Therapy Device

N. Momchilov a, I. Bliznakova a, E. Borisova a, P. Troyanova b and L. Avramov a a Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria b National Oncological Center, Sofia, Bulgaria

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Received: 3 09 2007;

Photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapy of non-melanoma skin cancers using delta-aminolevulinic acid/protoporphyrin IX (5-ALA/PpIX) give a combined application with broadest dissemination in the current clinical practice. The problems with using of lasers as light sources are the expenses associated with the operation of these types of installations. This is why we test the capability of cheaper sources - light-emitting diodes at 405 nm for fluorescence excitation of PpIX and 635 nm for photodynamic action initiation. A LED matrix is developed in our laboratory using two types of LEDs and a combined photodiagnosis/photodynamic theory device applicable for clinical practice is built. Geometrically matrix is formed in such way that power density at 635 nm is about 40 mW/cm2, which allow to reach treatment doses for a 15-20 min irradiation depending of the lesion size in the focus of the system. The therapeutic mode of system developed can be used also with some other photosensitizers from the porphyrins derivatives family.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.112.1125 PACS numbers: 42.72.Bj, 87.64.kv, 87.19.xj