  Heat generated from plasmonic nanoparticles can be utilized in plasmonic
photothermal therapy. A combination of near-infrared laser and metallic
nanoparticles are compelling for the treatment of brain cancer, due to their
efficient light-to-heat conversion and bio-compatibility. However, one of the
challenges of plasmonic photothermal therapy is to minimize the damage of the
surrounding brain tissue. The adjacent tissue can be damaged as the results of
either absorption of laser light, thermal conductivity, nanoparticles diffusing
from the tumor, or a combination hereof. Hence, we still lack the full
understanding about the light-tissue interaction and, in particular, the
thermal response. We tested the temperature change in three different porcine
cerebral tissues, i.e., the stem, the cerebrum, and the cerebellum, under laser
treatment. We find that the different tissues have differential optical and
thermal properties and confirm the enhancement of heating from adding plasmonic
nanoparticles. Furthermore, we measure the loss of laser intensity through the
different cerebral tissues and stress the importance of correct analysis of the
local environment of a brain tumor.
