2.5 Applications in Optical Biopsy and Real-Time Monitoring

Laser–tissue interaction also underpins the development of non-invasive optical biopsies—techniques that provide molecular or structural information without cutting or removing tissue.

These include:

  • Raman spectroscopy, which captures chemical fingerprints of tissues in vivo;
  • Photoacoustic imaging, which uses laser-induced ultrasound waves to create hybrid optical-acoustic images;
  • Laser Doppler Flowmetry, which detects microvascular blood flow using Doppler shifts in backscattered light.

Such tools are increasingly used in oncology, neurology, and dermatology, and are being studied for real-time, bedside diagnostics (De Miguel & Martínez, 2023).