This study aimed to evaluate in vitro performance of near-infrared laser transillumination (NIR-LTI) for detecting early occlusal caries in permanent teeth and compare it with quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF), DIAGNOdent Pen (DDPen), and conventional radiography (CR). Ninety-four occlusal surfaces presenting International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) scores ranging from 0 to 3 were selected. For the NIR-LTI examination, images were captured using a prototype, which consists of a laser beam (808 nm) and an infrared CCD camera. One occlusal site on each tooth was assessed twice by two examiners. The teeth were prepared histologically and assessed for the presence of early caries. The intraexaminer correlation showed no difference between the NIR-LTI, DDPen, and QLF analytical methods, but all these methods differed from CR. Interexaminer reproducibility was moderate for NIR-LTI, which showed sensitivity (0.68), specificity (0.85), accuracy (0.73), and area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (0.76) similar to those of the fluorescence method and different from those of the CR. In conclusion, the performance of NIR-LTI was comparable to that of DDPen and QLF and may therefore be considered a valid and reliable alternative for the diagnosis of incipient lesions on the occlusal surface of permanent teeth.

No abstract

V entricular neuroendoscopy represents an important advance in the treatment of hydrocephalus. About 30% of patients with hydrocephalus meet the criteria for this technique, which may prevent the need for a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, resulting in reduced costs and low incidence of late complications. 4,5,6,7,12,15,17 Nonetheless, because a ventricular endoscope is used through a single bur hole, additional resources to enable cutting, coagulation, and ablation of injuries are extremely relevant to reduce surgical time and hospital length of stay, and increase the safety of the procedure and the patient's postoperative comfort. 8,10,18 Increasing experience in several centers has proven that laser-assisted endoscopic procedures are useful options, because they are safe, effective, and advantageous in cases of distorted anatomy. 4,18 We have previously shown favorable results of surgical Nd:YAG and therapeutic laser (diode 685 nm) in neuroendoscopic procedures, such as excision of colloid cysts and myelomeningocele repair. 10,11 Furthermore, the use of 980-nm diode laser in brain tissue of Wistar rats has been tested in recent studies and was associated with a remarkable ablating capacity, minimal thermal damage to surrounding tissue, and lower recovery time than other lasers with different wavelengths or electrocoagulators. The 980-nm-wavelength diode laser provides proper absorption in both water and hemoglobin, which is an adabbreviatioNs μ A (H 2 O) = absorption coefficient of water; CW = continuous wave; ETV = endoscopic third ventriculostomy. obJective Ventricular neuroendoscopy represents an important advance in the treatment of hydrocephalus. Highpower (surgical) Nd:YAG laser and low-level laser therapy (using 685-nm-wavelength diode laser) have been used in conjunction with neuroendoscopy with favorable results. This study evaluated the use of surgical 980-nm-wavelength diode laser for the neuroendoscopic treatment of ventricular diseases. methods Nine patients underwent a neuroendoscopic procedure with 980-nm diode laser. Complications and followup were recorded. results Three in-hospital postoperative complications were recorded (1 intraventricular hemorrhage and 2 meningitis cases). The remaining 6 patients had symptom improvement after endoscopic surgery and were discharged from the hospital within 24-48 hours after surgery. Patients were followed for an average of 14 months: 1 patient developed meningitis and another died suddenly at home. The other patients did well and were asymptomatic until the last follow-up consultation. coNclusioNs The 980-nm diode laser is considered an important therapeutic tool for endoscopic neurological surgeries. This study showed its application in different ventricular diseases.

Cisplatin is one of the most widely used anticancer drugs in the treatment of various types of solid human cancers, as well as germ cell tumors, sarcomas, and lymphomas. Strong evidence from research has demonstrated higher efficacy of a combination of cisplatin and derivatives, together with hyperthermia and light, in overcoming drug resistance and improving tumoricidal efficacy. It is well known that the antioncogenic potential of CDDP is markedly enhanced by hyperthermia compared to drug treatment alone. However, more recently, accelerators of high energy particles, such as synchrotrons, have been used to produce powerful and monochromatizable radiation to induce an Auger electron cascade in cis-platinum molecules. This is the concept that makes photoactivation of cis-platinum theoretically possible. Both heat and light increase cisplatin anticancer activity via multiple mechanisms, generating DNA lesions by interacting with purine bases in DNA followed by activation of several signal transduction pathways which finally lead to apoptosis. For the past twenty-seven years, our group has developed infrared photo-thermal activation of cisplatin for cancer treatment from bench to bedside. The future development of photoactivatable prodrugs of platinum-based agents injected intratumorally will increase selectivity, lower toxicity and increase efficacy of this important class of antitumor drugs, particularly when treating tumors accessible to laser-based fiber-optic devices, as in head and neck cancer. In this article, the mechanistic rationale of combined intratumor injections of cisplatin and laser-induced thermal therapy (CDDP–LITT) and the clinical application of such minimally invasive treatment for cancer are reviewed.

No abstract