The major aim for the development of the MPTflex was skin cancer diagnosis. Using innovative non-invasive multiphoton technology the physician obtains detailed information on the living cells and tissue structures within their natural environment.
Dermatological disorders and melanoma can now be detected with submicron spatial resolution. Having a short image acquisition time shorter than one minute, MPTflex revolutionizes conventional invasive and highly time consuming diagnostic procedures.
The system is used in tissue engineering as well as in cosmetic and pharmaceutical research. Anti-aging is an additional field of application of the system.
The MPTflex developed with two-detector array in combination with single photon counting to measure auto-fluorescence and SHG simultaneously during the same scan. Of special interest is the ratio of elastin to collagen that can be used as the so called SAAID index. This index characterizes the skin age.

The optical sections of different locations of skin within the arm of a male and female volunteer. The images demonstrate a false-colored overlay of structures of elastin (autofluorescence) and collagen (SHG-signal). A more detailed description can be found in the image gallery (click).