Optical innovation for gentler heart diagnostics.

MEDICA in Düsseldorf is one of the world’s largest trade fairs for medical technology and healthcare. From 17–20 November 2025, the exhibition halls become an international meeting point for hospitals, industry, start-ups and researchers. Exhibitors from across the globe present the full spectrum of modern medicine – from imaging, diagnostics and lab technology to medical IT, orthopaedic devices and everyday consumables. The focus is clear: practical innovations that improve patient care and make clinical workflows more efficient.

This year, our research group will be on site to present our work in the OptoCarDi project. OptoCarDi addresses myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that can be triggered by infections or non-infectious causes. Today, the diagnostic gold standard is the endomyocardial biopsy: an invasive procedure that carries risks and often fails to hit the diseased tissue precisely.

In OptoCarDi, we are developing a novel catheter that uses light instead of tissue samples to detect changes in the heart muscle, including myocarditis. Several advanced optical imaging and spectroscopic methods are combined in one slim probe to visualise structural and biochemical alterations directly inside the heart, without markers and without destroying tissue. In the future, this technology could help reduce the number of biopsies, guide more precise sampling where needed and support therapy monitoring over time.

We look forward to meeting clinicians, researchers and industry partners at MEDICA 2025. Come and join us!