Needle-Free Tech Can Now Monitor Blood Sodium Levels

Researchers describe their new multispectral terahertz optoacoustic system and demonstrate that it can be used for non-invasive, long-term monitoring of sodium without the need for labels.

Scientists have recently developed a new method to monitor sodium levels in blood without drawing a single drop.

By combining terahertz radiation and optoacoustic detection, the researchers created a non-invasive system that tracks sodium in real-time, even through the skin.

The approach bypasses traditional barriers, such as water interference, and opens up the potential for fast and safe diagnostics in humans.

Zhen Tian, the research team leader from Tianjin University in China said, “For biomedical applications, terahertz spectroscopy still faces two key challenges: detecting molecules other than water in complex biological samples and penetrating thick tissue layers to enable detection inside the body.”

Accurate measurement of blood sodium is essential for diagnosing and managing conditions such as dehydration, kidney disease and certain neurological and endocrine disorders.

In Optica, the flagship journal of Optica Publishing Group for high-impact research, researchers describe their new multispectral terahertz optoacoustic system and demonstrate that it can be used for non-invasive, long-term monitoring of sodium concentration in live mice without the need for labels.

“With further development, this technology could be used to monitor sodium levels in patients without the need for blood draws. The real-time sodium measurements could be used to safely correct imbalances in critical patients while avoiding dangerous neurological complications that can occur when sodium levels rapidly change,” added Tian.

The researchers also demonstrated that the terahertz optoacoustic system could quickly distinguish between high and low sodium levels in human blood samples.

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