The Dove Clinic for Integrated Medicine
Sonodynamic Photodynamic Therapy (SPDT)
Photodynamic therapy is the use of light sensitive substances, which accumulate selectively in diseased cells and when exposed to light of an appropriate wavelength causes an excited state that is able to transfer its energy to oxygen. This transfer of energy causes the electrons in oxygen to rearrange and assume a different electronic configuration, where all electrons in the oxygen molecule have paired up, resulting in a particular electron spin configuration. This is highly reactive and initiates a series of events that leads to the release of Cytochrome C from the mitochondria (these are the engines of the cell and are present in large numbers in all cells) and this initiates cellular destruction.
Sonodynamic Therapy is the use of low-level ultrasound and this produces cellular destruction from the non-thermal effects of ultra sound, especially cavitations in diseased cells. Ultrasonic cavitations generate free radicals from the breakdown of water molecules. The Photodynamic agent we use is also sensitive to ultrasound frequencies. This approach allows deeper penetration into the body. Sonodynamic therapy is carried out using a simple therapeutic ultrasound machine with an especially designed treatment head known as a maniple, which is applied over the affected area with some ultrasound gel placed on the skin. This is done after the light bed exposure.
Most photosensitizers come from a class of naturally occurring compounds called porphorins. Natural porphorins are breakdown products from recycled haemoglobin and are inherently light sensitive. These cause diseased cells to auto-fluoresce.
PDT is comparatively non-invasive, it can be targeted accurately and repeated doses can be given safely. PDT can always be done on an out-patient or day case setting, and it has no significant side effects.
Sonodynamic Photodynamic Therapy (SPDT) is an advance on previous PDT. This uses a specific agent which does not have to be given intravenously and can be given orally. It accumulates selectively in damaged tissue and it does not persist in the skin, so no photosensitivity occurs. The agent is sensitised by a specialized light bed consisting of several tens of thousands of LEDs, emitting in the red and infra-red regions of the spectrum. Because the breakdown wave lengths of the oral agent also occur in the infra-red region, this allows deeper penetration into the body. Therefore, this is a non-invasive, whole body treatment which can be repeated as often as is necessary.
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