Scientists have engineered flexible hydrogel fibers just hundreds of micrometers in diameter that can transmit light. The soft fibers are designed to navigate delicate anatomical spaces such as small breast ducts, potentially enabling high-resolution imaging for early cancer detection.
Current imaging tools often struggle to visualize lesions inside micron-scale ducts without damaging surrounding tissue. These new fibers match the mechanical properties of biological tissue, reducing injury risk while allowing deeper optical access.
The proof-of-concept fibers were fabricated using a photopolymerization technique. The researchers demonstrated their ability to guide light through bends and tight channels, though the work remains in early laboratory stages.
Further development is needed before clinical use, including improving fiber length and brightness. The team aims to integrate the fibers with existing endoscopes for minimally invasive breast cancer screening in future studies.
The approach offers an alternative to rigid or metal-based optical probes, which can cause trauma in sensitive tissues. However, the authors caution that material degradation and light loss over longer distances must be addressed.