Specialists of the Endocrinology Institute of Almazov Centre together with colleagues from ITMO University are conducting a study of the optical properties of blood and plasma in the terahertz frequency range.
The study is based on the fact that changes in the chemical composition of blood plasma (for example, with an increased blood glucose levels in diabetes mellitus) induce changes of its optical properties. The technology involves the analysis of not only liquid but also lyophilized (freeze-dried) plasma, which makes it possible to analyze the properties of blood without the influence of water. This ensures the stability of the optical properties of the test sample that can be stored for a long time without freezing.
In the future, the results of the study can be used to develop new methods for assessing various blood parameters using terahertz spectroscopy.