Advanced Photonics in Urology 2025

High technology in urology includes many new but routine uses of light sources and light detection systems for diagnosis and treatment, including their combination as feedback-system. Selective photo diagnosis and phototherapy are under investigation or on their way to clinical use. Endoscopic approaches and robotic-assisted light applications, enable minimally invasive and high-precision tissue differentiation, thus supporting cutting and ablation during surgery. Further energy-based treatments (RF, HIFU, …) are also being applied for tissue destruction in urology.

This conference covers the use of lasers and thermal energy-based technologies for treatment and light excitation and detection for diagnosis in urology. Attendees (scientists, engineers, and clinicians) are encouraged and motivated to share ideas, experiments and technical information in this interdisciplinary field. Regarding the diversity of experiments and studies, non-positive results should be presented and discussed.

Papers are solicited in urological applications of therapeutic and diagnostic modalities including, but not limited to, the following:

Lasers and light sources for therapy and diagnosis

• Fundamental laser-cell/tissue interactions in urological applications
• Laser coagulation/ablation/resection of tumors in the bladder, kidney, ureter, and renal pelvis
• Photodynamic therapy of upper and lower urinary tracts
• Lithotripsy with lasers, shockwave, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and pneumatic systems

Other energy forms for tissue treatment

• Minimally invasive surgical techniques including radio frequency, microwave, HIFU, cryo, plasma, and irreversible electroporation (IRE)
• Tissue treatment effects and healing responses after energy-based treatments

Tissue imaging for diagnostics

• Cellular/molecular imaging, probing, and optical biopsy in urology
• Artificial phantoms for reproducible experiments
• Pre-clinical/clinical applications of optical imaging, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), photoacoustic tomography (PAT), fluorescence, polarization, confocal, spectroscopy, microscopy, and photodynamic diagnosis (PDD)
• MRI, CT, PET, ultrasound, and terahertz imaging for the detection of urological diseases
• Diagnostic endomicroscopy: OCT, CARS, SRS, FLIM, confocal fluorescence, multiphoton

Advanced technology in urology

• Novel designs and applications of optical fibers and endoscopic delivery devices
• Robotic-assisted surgery including radical prostatectomy and nephrectomy
• 3-D modeling and simulation of surgical procedures
• Optical nerve stimulation for dysfunctional urinary systems
• Nanoparticle-assisted and image-guided therapy
• Use of artificial intelligence (AI) in urology, e.g., prognosis, differentiation, …
• AR/VR in the urological OR
• training, teaching, and education in urology
• Clinical trials (single case experience to phase II studies)