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Copyright © 2024 CGTN. 京ICP备20000184号
Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466
Diagram of the wireless miniature probe for monitoring the oxygenation of brain tissue. /Tsinghua University
Chinese scientists have developed a wireless miniature probe that can dynamically track oxygen levels in the deep brain, providing a promising tool for brain disease monitoring.
The implantable probe, about 300 microns in diameter, comprises a light-emitting diode and a photodetector, and is coated with a phosphorescent film highly sensitive to oxygen, according to the findings published in the journal Nature Photonics on Wednesday.
The probe works by emitting phosphorescence and measuring the oxygen levels according to the light brightness, which would decrease with the rise of the oxygen partial pressure, a key indicator reflecting brain oxygen levels, said Sheng Xing, one of the paper's corresponding authors and an associate professor at Tsinghua University.
"When a hypoxia in brain tissue happens, the probe would emit a strong light," he added, noting that its response time is only less than one second.
The wireless probe has been confirmed efficient after continuously monitoring the oxygen partial pressure in the deep brain of freely moving rodents, like mice. It could capture their cerebral hypoxia state in various scenarios, including an acute ischemia.
The findings are expected to serve as a promising healthcare tool for patients with epilepsy, brain tumors, stroke and intracranial trauma in the future, Sheng said.