• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home Science & Environment Medical Research

Painless technique can estimate glucose concentrations in solution and tissue via sound waves

March 20, 2025
in Medical Research
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
0
Detecting glucose through painless photoacoustics
7
SHARES
15
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Detecting glucose through painless photoacoustics
Photo of the setup used. Credit: G Puneeth

Blood glucose is usually measured using invasive methods involving pricking small needles into the skin. But people suffering from diabetes have to test their glucose levels many times a day. This repeated use of needles is inconvenient and can increase the risk of potential infections.

A new study by researchers at the Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics (IAP), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) offers an alternative solution via a technique called photoacoustic sensing.

The work is published in the journal Science Advances.

In this technique, when a laser beam is shined on biological tissue, the tissue components absorb the light and the tissue heats up slightly (less than 1°C). This causes the tissue to expand and contract, creating vibrations which can be picked up as ultrasonic sound waves by sensitive detectors. Different materials and molecules inside the tissue absorb different amounts of the incident light at different wavelengths, creating individual “fingerprints” in the emitted sound waves. Importantly, this procedure does not damage the tissue sample being studied.

In the current study, the team exploited this approach to measure the concentration of a single molecule, namely glucose. They used polarized light—a light wave that oscillates only in a specific direction. Sunglasses, for example, reduce glare by blocking out light waves that oscillate in certain directions.

Glucose is a chiral molecule, which means that it has an inherent structural asymmetry that causes polarized light to rotate its orientation of oscillation when it interacts with the molecule. Surprisingly, the team found that the intensity of the emitted sound waves changed when the orientation of the polarized light interacting with glucose in the solution was changed.

“We don’t actually know why the acoustic signal changes when we change the polarization state. But we can establish a relationship between the glucose concentration and the intensity of the acoustic signal at a particular wavelength,” explains Jaya Prakash, Assistant Professor in IAP and corresponding author of the study.

Detecting glucose through painless photoacoustics
FIST lab group members working on developing photoacoustic sensing/imaging technologies. Credit: G Puneeth

Glucose rotates the polarized light and the rotation increases with concentration, which is reflected in the acoustic signal intensity. Therefore, measuring the strength of the acoustic signal allowed the researchers to work backwards and estimate the concentration of glucose.

The researchers were able to estimate glucose concentration in water and serum solutions as well as slices of animal tissue with near clinical accuracy. They were also able to measure glucose concentration at various depths within the tissue accurately.

“If we know the speed of sound in this tissue, we can use the time-series data to map our acoustic signals to the depth at which they are coming from,” explains Swathi Padmanabhan, Ph.D. student and first author of the paper. Since sound waves don’t scatter much inside tissue, the researchers were able to get accurate measurements at various tissue depths.

The team has also conducted a pilot study in which they used the sensor setup to track the blood glucose concentrations of a healthy participant before and after meals over three days.

“Finding the right setup to do this experiment was very challenging. Currently, the laser source we use has to generate very small nanosecond pulses, so it is expensive and bulky. We need to make it more compact to put it to clinical use. My lab mates have already started work on this,” says Padmanabhan.

The authors believe that theoretically, this technique can work for any chiral molecule by changing the light wavelength. In the study, they were also able to estimate the concentration of naproxen—a commonly used drug for mild pain and inflammation—in an ethanol solution. As many commonly used drugs are chiral in nature, such a technique can have wide-ranging applications in health care and diagnostics.

More information:
Swathi Padmanabhan et al, Deep tissue sensing of chiral molecules using polarization-enhanced photoacoustics, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado8012

Provided by
Indian Institute of Science


Citation:
Painless technique can estimate glucose concentrations in solution and tissue via sound waves (2025, March 20)
retrieved 20 March 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-03-painless-technique-glucose-solution-tissue.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.



Detecting glucose through painless photoacoustics
Photo of the setup used. Credit: G Puneeth

Blood glucose is usually measured using invasive methods involving pricking small needles into the skin. But people suffering from diabetes have to test their glucose levels many times a day. This repeated use of needles is inconvenient and can increase the risk of potential infections.

A new study by researchers at the Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics (IAP), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) offers an alternative solution via a technique called photoacoustic sensing.

The work is published in the journal Science Advances.

In this technique, when a laser beam is shined on biological tissue, the tissue components absorb the light and the tissue heats up slightly (less than 1°C). This causes the tissue to expand and contract, creating vibrations which can be picked up as ultrasonic sound waves by sensitive detectors. Different materials and molecules inside the tissue absorb different amounts of the incident light at different wavelengths, creating individual “fingerprints” in the emitted sound waves. Importantly, this procedure does not damage the tissue sample being studied.

In the current study, the team exploited this approach to measure the concentration of a single molecule, namely glucose. They used polarized light—a light wave that oscillates only in a specific direction. Sunglasses, for example, reduce glare by blocking out light waves that oscillate in certain directions.

Glucose is a chiral molecule, which means that it has an inherent structural asymmetry that causes polarized light to rotate its orientation of oscillation when it interacts with the molecule. Surprisingly, the team found that the intensity of the emitted sound waves changed when the orientation of the polarized light interacting with glucose in the solution was changed.

“We don’t actually know why the acoustic signal changes when we change the polarization state. But we can establish a relationship between the glucose concentration and the intensity of the acoustic signal at a particular wavelength,” explains Jaya Prakash, Assistant Professor in IAP and corresponding author of the study.

Detecting glucose through painless photoacoustics
FIST lab group members working on developing photoacoustic sensing/imaging technologies. Credit: G Puneeth

Glucose rotates the polarized light and the rotation increases with concentration, which is reflected in the acoustic signal intensity. Therefore, measuring the strength of the acoustic signal allowed the researchers to work backwards and estimate the concentration of glucose.

The researchers were able to estimate glucose concentration in water and serum solutions as well as slices of animal tissue with near clinical accuracy. They were also able to measure glucose concentration at various depths within the tissue accurately.

“If we know the speed of sound in this tissue, we can use the time-series data to map our acoustic signals to the depth at which they are coming from,” explains Swathi Padmanabhan, Ph.D. student and first author of the paper. Since sound waves don’t scatter much inside tissue, the researchers were able to get accurate measurements at various tissue depths.

The team has also conducted a pilot study in which they used the sensor setup to track the blood glucose concentrations of a healthy participant before and after meals over three days.

“Finding the right setup to do this experiment was very challenging. Currently, the laser source we use has to generate very small nanosecond pulses, so it is expensive and bulky. We need to make it more compact to put it to clinical use. My lab mates have already started work on this,” says Padmanabhan.

The authors believe that theoretically, this technique can work for any chiral molecule by changing the light wavelength. In the study, they were also able to estimate the concentration of naproxen—a commonly used drug for mild pain and inflammation—in an ethanol solution. As many commonly used drugs are chiral in nature, such a technique can have wide-ranging applications in health care and diagnostics.

More information:
Swathi Padmanabhan et al, Deep tissue sensing of chiral molecules using polarization-enhanced photoacoustics, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado8012

Provided by
Indian Institute of Science


Citation:
Painless technique can estimate glucose concentrations in solution and tissue via sound waves (2025, March 20)
retrieved 20 March 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-03-painless-technique-glucose-solution-tissue.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.


Tags: Health ResearchHealth Research NewsHealth ScienceMedicine ResearchMedicine Research NewsMedicine Science
Previous Post

The family of an airplane safety whistleblower is suing Boeing over his death

Next Post

Weird but true animal facts: unusual pollinators

Related Posts

Microsoft unveils AI agent orchestrator for cancer care coordination

Microsoft unveils AI agent orchestrator for cancer care coordination

May 23, 2025
4

Trump’s DOJ Accuses Medicare Advantage Insurers of Paying ‘Kickbacks’ to Brokers

May 23, 2025
6
Next Post
Weird but true animal facts: unusual pollinators

Weird but true animal facts: unusual pollinators

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0
Microsoft unveils AI agent orchestrator for cancer care coordination

Microsoft unveils AI agent orchestrator for cancer care coordination

May 23, 2025
Two men acquitted in Dodger stadium attack

Two men acquitted in Dodger stadium attack

May 23, 2025
Sanction on Harvard's foreign students strikes at the heart of the university's global allure

Sanction on Harvard’s foreign students strikes at the heart of the university’s global allure

May 23, 2025
No winner in Ultra, Megalotto draws for May 23

No winner in Ultra, Megalotto draws for May 23

May 23, 2025

Recent News

Microsoft unveils AI agent orchestrator for cancer care coordination

Microsoft unveils AI agent orchestrator for cancer care coordination

May 23, 2025
4
Two men acquitted in Dodger stadium attack

Two men acquitted in Dodger stadium attack

May 23, 2025
3
Sanction on Harvard's foreign students strikes at the heart of the university's global allure

Sanction on Harvard’s foreign students strikes at the heart of the university’s global allure

May 23, 2025
3
No winner in Ultra, Megalotto draws for May 23

No winner in Ultra, Megalotto draws for May 23

May 23, 2025
6

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Microsoft unveils AI agent orchestrator for cancer care coordination

Microsoft unveils AI agent orchestrator for cancer care coordination

May 23, 2025
Two men acquitted in Dodger stadium attack

Two men acquitted in Dodger stadium attack

May 23, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co