New tech tracks blood sodium without the need for invasive procedures, thanks to a breakthrough method developed by scientists using terahertz radiation and optoacoustic detection. This advanced approach enables real-time sodium monitoring through the skin, eliminating the need for drawing blood.
The new tech tracks blood sodium by bypassing traditional challenges such as interference from water in biological tissues. The innovation paves the way for safer and faster diagnostics, especially for conditions like dehydration, kidney disease, and neurological or endocrine disorders.
How the Technology Works
The new tech tracks blood sodium using terahertz radiation, which lies between microwaves and the mid-infrared spectrum. This form of radiation is non-harmful, offers better tissue penetration than visible light, and is extremely sensitive to biological changes.
According to Zhen Tian, research team leader from Tianjin University, China, the main hurdles in biomedical terahertz applications were:
- Difficulty detecting ions like sodium in complex samples.
- Inability to penetrate deeper tissue layers.
By integrating optoacoustic detection, the team successfully overcame these issues. This marks the first in-vivo detection of sodium ions using terahertz radiation — a key milestone proving that new tech tracks blood sodium in real-life conditions.
Tested in Mice and Human Volunteers
In tests using live mice, the new tech tracks blood sodium through the ear’s blood vessels for over 30 minutes, achieving millisecond-level precision. To improve signal clarity, the researchers cooled the skin to 8°C, minimizing noise from water molecules.
Further experiments using human blood samples showed the system can clearly differentiate between high and low sodium concentrations. Most notably, the new tech tracks blood sodium directly through human skin — specifically on the hands of healthy volunteers — without requiring any labels or needles.
Real-Time, Label-Free, Needle-Free Monitoring
“This technology could eventually monitor sodium levels in patients without needing blood draws,” said Zhen Tian. The new tech tracks blood sodium in real-time, which is especially useful for managing critical patients prone to dangerous neurological complications from sodium imbalance.
The research was published in Optica, the flagship journal of the Optica Publishing Group. It highlights how this technology could be used for long-term, non-invasive sodium monitoring, significantly changing how doctors treat patients with electrolyte disorders.
What’s Next for Human Use?
Although the new tech tracks blood sodium effectively, researchers are working to:
- Identify ideal detection points in the human body like inside the mouth, which can tolerate cooling and produce strong signals.
- Develop alternative signal processing techniques to suppress water interference without cooling, making it more practical for hospitals and clinics.
Despite these hurdles, early human trials indicate high potential, and the new tech tracks blood sodium accurately and safely, offering hope for a needle-free future in medical diagnostics. (ANI)
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