Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) and Intravenous Laser Therapy
What is PDT?
- An exciting and revolutionary new treatment for cancers and many other diseases
- Involves the use of a special dye called a photosensitizer (or photosensitizing agent) and a special type of light
- When the photosensitizer is exposed to the right wavelength of light, it produces a form of oxygen that kills the nearby cancer cells
- At RAH we use three different dyes that are each activated by a specific wavelength of light, and perform different functions in the body
- All of this is done with very minimal (if any) side effects
What Does the Treatment Involve?
- An intravenous (IV) catheter is placed, and the patient is placed on IV fluids
- The photosensitizing (PS) dye is injected into the bloodstream via the IV catheter
- The PS dye is given approximately 4 hours to be absorbed--the dye is absorbed by ALL of the cells in the body, but stays in cancer cells much longer than it does in normal, healthy cells...so we wait!
- A special fiber-optic catheter (how cool is that??) is placed inside the IV catheter to administer the needed wavelength of light
- The PS dye in the tumor is activated and produces a free-radical active form of oxygen that kills the nearby cancer cells
- it also damages the tumor's blood vessels, cutting off its supply of nutrients and stimulates the immune system to attack the cancer cells
- The PS dye and fiber-optic catheter can be placed directly into a tumor to improve the chances of killing more cancer cells, especially with large tumors
- The patient may or may not be lightly sedated for the procedure--it all depends on how well they tolerate being hospitalized and having an IV catheter
So, What's IV Laser Therapy?
- IV laser therapy is performed with the same IV fiber-optic catheter and the same wavelengths of light that are used for PDT, just without the PS dyes.
- We use IV laser therapy to treat a wide range of diseases with great success!
- IV laser therapy helps tissue repair itself, reduces inflammation and can help eliminate circulating bacteria
Pictures!
![]() | PS dye being injected into the IV catheter |
![]() | PS dye being injected into the IV catheter |
![]() | A close-up of the fiber-optic catheter |
![]() | An example of the various wavelengths of light |
![]() | Another example of the fiber-optic cable in action! |
![]() | An example of insterstitial (intralesional) PDT |
![]() | Another example of interstitial PDT |
![]() | Interstitial and IV PDT being performed simultaneously |
![]() | A view of the process |