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Advancing the Laser
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a procedure to treat cancer. Patients are injected with a photosensitizer which is a light sensitive drug selectively retained by cancer cells. When exposed to laser light, the photosensitizer in the cancer cells produces a toxic reaction which destroys the tumor. This photo shows an argon-ion laser, the first component of the argon pumped-dye laser (630nm red). This argon-ion laser emits blue-green light at 488/514 nm, and is used to excite a dye in the second component, the dye laser head, where the wavelength is changed to 630nm red. Different photosensitizers absorb light at different wavelengths. Some absorb light most efficiently in the blue light region of the spectrum around 400 nanometers(nm) with lesser absorption in the green and red light range. However, red light at 630 nm penetrates deeper into the tumor tissue (3-8 mm) than green or blue light. For this reason, the majority of PDT work has used 630 nm light. See artwork: GA-17.

About SPIE


Statement of Purpose

SPIE is an international society advancing an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light.

About the Society

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. Serving more than 180,000 constituents from 168 countries, the Society advances emerging technologies through interdisciplinary information exchange, continuing education, publications, patent precedent, and career and professional growth.

SPIE annually organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums, exhibitions, and education programs in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific.

In 2009, the Society provided more than $2 million in support of scholarships, grants, and other education programs around the world.

SPIE publishes the SPIE Digital Library, containing more than 296,000 research papers from the Proceedings of SPIE and the Society's 9 scholarly journals with around 18,000 new papers added each year, and more than 120 eBooks from the SPIE Press catalog. The SPIE Press publishes print monographs, tutorial texts, Field Guides, and reference books. SPIE also publishes a wide variety of open access content.

Membership includes Fellows and Senior Member programs. The Society has named more than 840 SPIE members as Fellows since 1955, and implemented its Senior Member program in 2008.

SPIE's awards program serves to recognize outstanding contributions from individuals throughout the scientific community regardless of membership status.

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