Method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling laser-induced tissue treatment

A method of dermatological treatment comprising the steps of:

• applying a viscous material to a region of skin tissue to be treated;
• emitting treatment energy from a handpiece towards the region of skin tissue to effect tissue treatment, the treatment energy having at least one operational parameter affecting a dosage of the tissue treatment;
• moving the handpiece across the region of skin tissue, the movement of the handpiece defined by at least one variable positional parameter that affects the dosage of the tissue treatment;
• directing illumination toward the viscous material applied to the region of skin tissue;
• measuring in real-time a variation in the positional parameter, the measuring including detecting the illumination of the region of skin tissue, the detection enhanced by the application of the viscous material;
• and
• controllably adjusting in real-time the operational parameter in response to the variation in the positional parameter.

A method of dermatological treatment comprising the steps of

• emitting treatment energy from a handpiece towards a region of skin tissue to be treated to effect a tissue treatment, the treatment energy having at least one operational parameter affecting a dosage of the tissue treatment;
• moving the handpiece across the region of skin tissue, the movement of the handpiece defined by at least one variable positional parameter that affects the dosage of the tissue treatment;
• directing illumination toward the skin tissue to be treated;
• detecting the illumination in a polarization sensitive manner, the detected illumination measuring in real-time a variation the positional parameter;
• and
• controllably adjusting in real-time the operational parameter in response to the variation in the positional parameter.

An apparatus for controlled dermatological tissue treatment comprising:

• a handpiece that delivers a light beam to a treatment area of skin to effect a tissue treatment, the tissue treatment depending upon one or more operational parameters of the light beam, a movement of the handpiece characterized by a plurality of variable positional parameters such that variation in at least one positional parameter affects the tissue treatment;
• an illumination source that delivers illumination to the skin and is functionally coupled to the handpiece;
• a controller functionally coupled to the handpiece for controlling the operational parameters in response to the variation in at least one positional parameter;
• and
• a detector configured to measure variations in at least one of a velocity, a distance and a position of the handpiece relative to the tissue to be treated in one or more directions parallel to the plane of a surface of the treatment area based on the detection of at least a portion of the illumination;
• the controller configured to controllably adjust in real-time at least one operational parameter of the apparatus in response to a measurement by the detector;
• a tip of the handpiece forming patterns in a viscous substance applied to the treatment area, the detector detecting one or more of these patterns.