Photonics Healthcare BV applications

Anesthesiologist Dr. Egbert Mik, building on his invention made together with Dr. Michiel Sinaasappel, developed the protoporphyrin IX triplet state lifetime technique (PpIX-TSLT). It is the first practical way to clinically measure oxygen availability and consumption where oxygen is needed: in the tissue cells rather than in the blood. It uses the oxygen dependent duration of the `glow-in-the-dark` of the precursor to heme. This protoporphyrin IX is metabolized in epidermal mitochondria after local priming with aminolevulinic acid used in photodynamic therapy or diagnosis.