Skip the biopsy...ask for laser beams instead

Scientists at Harvard University have developed a noninvasive imaging technique that captures images at the molecular level so quickly that they can "watch" red blood cells move through the capillaries of a live mouse. The system uses two laser beams set at different frequencies to excite specific types of molecules in the skin. A custom-designed detector picks up the excited molecular signal and translates it into an image.

With such a capability, says Ji-Xin Cheng, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Purdue University, doctors may be able to identify other diseases that manifest on the surface of organs other than skin.

"Some cancers start in the epithelial layer, or the surface of tissues, like colon cancer," says Cheng. "Diagnosing such cancers could be a good application for a system like this."

Lasers Give Scientists Close-Up View of the Skin - Technology Review