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In vivo attenuation profile of 660 nm and 830 nm wavelengths on human elbow skin and calcaneus tendon of different phototypes

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Abstract

Physical factors and tissue characteristics determine the transmission of light through tissues. One of the significant clinical limitations of photobiomodulation is the quantification of fluence delivered at application sites and optical penetration depth in vivo. There is also the difficulty of determining the distances of the application points to cover a uniformly irradiated area. Thus, the aim was to evaluate in vivo the influence of melanin on light transmission of the 660 nm and 830 nm laser wavelengths on skin and tendon. Thirty young individuals of both sexes were recruited, divided into two groups based on melanin index, and submitted to photobiomodulation protocols in the posterior region of the elbow (skin-skin) and the calcaneus tendon (skin-tendon-skin). The irradiation area was evaluated using a homemade linear array of five sensors. We found significant transmission power values for different melanin indexes and wavelengths (p<0.0001). Also, different equipment can generate significant differences in the transmitted power at an 830-nm wavelength. Average scattering values are 14 mm and 21 mm for 660 nm, in higher and lower melanin index, respectively. For 830 nm, values of 20 mm and 26 mm are indicated. Laser light transmission in vivo tissues is related to wavelength, beam diameter, tissue thickness, and composition, as well as melanin index. The 830-nm laser presents higher light transmission on the skin than 660 nm. The distances between the application points can be different, with higher values for 830 nm than 660 nm.

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Funding

The present work was supported in part by The Sao Paulo Research Foundation – FAPESP (#2018/14955-6, #2017/25923-5, and 2011/07960-4), in part by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel - Brazil (CAPES) – Financing Code 001, and in part by Scholarship from National Institute for Scholarship Management (INAGBE), Angola.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance, Department of Health Sciences, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

    Carlos Eduardo Girasol, Damião Miranda Ngonga Alfredo, Elaine Caldeira de Oliveira Guirro & Rinaldo Roberto de Jesus Guirro

  2. Graduation in Physical Therapy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    José Miguel Andrade Ferraz Moraes

  3. Postgraduate Program in Physics Applied to Medicine and Biology, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Luciano Bachmann

  4. School of Health Sciences and Sports, Methodist University of Angola (UMA), Luanda, Angola

    Damião Miranda Ngonga Alfredo

  5. Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Araranguá, Brazil

    Rafael Inácio Barbosa

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  1. Carlos Eduardo Girasol
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  2. José Miguel Andrade Ferraz Moraes
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  6. Elaine Caldeira de Oliveira Guirro
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  7. Rinaldo Roberto de Jesus Guirro
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study’s conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by Carlos Eduardo Girasol, José Miguel Andrade Ferraz Moraes, and Damião Miranda Ngonga Alfredo. The analysis was performed by Carlos Eduardo Girasol and Luciano Bachmann. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Carlos Eduardo Girasol, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Rinaldo Roberto de Jesus Guirro.

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This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Clinics Hospital of the Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, under protocol 2.748.430.

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Girasol, C.E., Moraes, J.M.A.F., Bachmann, L. et al. In vivo attenuation profile of 660 nm and 830 nm wavelengths on human elbow skin and calcaneus tendon of different phototypes. Lasers Med Sci 39, 24 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-023-03955-3

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