The main applications of Helium in the medical field

Helium is a rare gas with the chemical formula He, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, non-flammable, non-toxic, with a critical temperature of -272.8 degrees Celsius and a critical pressure of 229 kPa. In medicine, helium can be used in the production of high-energy medical particle beams, helium-neon lasers, argon helium knives, and other medical equipment, as well as in the treatment of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other diseases. In addition, helium can be used for magnetic resonance imaging, cryogenic freezing, and gas-tightness testing.

The main applications of helium in the medical field include:

1, MRI imaging: Helium has a very low melting and boiling point, and is the only substance that does not solidify at atmospheric pressure and 0 K. Liquefied helium can reach low temperatures close to absolute zero (about -273.15°C) after repeated cooling and pressurization. This ultra-low temperature technology makes it widely used in medical scanning. Magnetic resonance imaging relies on liquid helium encapsulating superconducting magnets to generate magnetic fields that can serve mankind. Some recent innovations can reduce the use of helium, but helium is still indispensable for the operation of MRI instruments.

2.Helium-neon laser: Helium-neon laser is a monochromatic red light with high brightness, good directionality and highly concentrated energy. Generally speaking, low-power helium-neon laser has no destructive effect on the human body, so it is widely used in clinical practice. The working substances of helium-neon laser are helium and neon. In medical treatment, low power helium-neon laser is used to irradiate inflammation areas, bald areas, ulcerated surfaces, wounds and so on. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-itching, hair growth, promotes the growth of granulation and epithelium, and accelerates the healing of wounds and ulcers. Even in the field of medical aesthetics, helium-neon laser has been made into an effective “beauty instrument”. Helium-neon laser working material is helium and neon, of which helium is the auxiliary gas, neon is the main working gas.

3.Argon-helium knife: argon helium knife is commonly used in clinical medical tools, is argon helium cold isolation technology used in the medical field of crystallization. At present, many domestic hospitals have the latest model of argon helium knife cryotherapy center. The principle is the Joule-Thomson principle, i.e. gas throttling effect. When argon gas is rapidly released in the tip of the needle, the diseased tissue can be frozen to -120℃~-165℃ within ten seconds. When helium is rapidly released at the tip of the needle, it produces rapid rewarming, causing the ice ball to thaw quickly and eliminate the tumor.

4, Gas Tightness Detection: Helium leak detection refers to the process of using helium as a tracer gas to detect leaks in various packages or sealing systems by measuring its concentration when it escapes due to leakage. While this technology is not only used in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, it is also well utilized in other fields. When it comes to helium leak detection in the pharmaceutical industry, companies that can provide reliable and accurate quantitative results can improve the quality of their drug delivery systems. It saves money and time and improves safety; in the medical device industry, the main focus is on package integrity testing. Helium leak testing reduces the risk of product failure for patients and medical personnel, as well as the risk of product liability for manufacturers.

6、Treatment of asthma: Since the 1990s, there have been studies of helium-oxygen mixtures for the treatment of asthma and respiratory diseases. Subsequently, a large number of studies have confirmed that helium-oxygen mixtures have good efficacy in asthma, COPD, and pulmonary heart disease. High-pressure helium-oxygen mixtures can eliminate inflammation of the airways. Inhalation of helium-oxygen mixture at a certain pressure can physically flush the mucous membrane of the trachea and promote the expulsion of deep phlegm, achieving the effect of anti-inflammation and expectoration.