A concept of cryoapplicator based on sapphire shaped crystal enabling control of the ice ball formation using spatially resolved elastic backscattering of light

We have proposed a concept of monitoring ice ball formation in biological tissues during cryodestruction process via spatially-resolved detection of elastic light backscattering. For this purpose, we developed an experimental setup for study cryodestruction by using applicators based on sapphire shaped crystals with internal channels for optical irradiation of biotissues and detection of backscattered light. Due to the unique physical properties of sapphire, i.e. high thermal, mechanical, and chemical strength, high thermal conductivity and optical transparency, the sapphire cryoapplicators yield combination of the tissue cryodestruction with the optical control of tissue freezing. We have shown experimentally that using the proposed concept of applicator with several channels, it is possible to monitor changes of the ice ball during the cryodestruction process.