For a number of well-defined reasons, research into the development of alternative photosensitizers to PhotofrinTM, for use in Photodynamic Therapy, continues. The efforts described in this paper cover the study of a number of sensitizers absorbing at different wavelengths, which may have selective applications in the field of photomedicine. In one approach, the use of tetraazoporphyrins (porphyrazines) as sensitizers is studied. Although related tetramacrocyclic systems such as porphyrins and phthalocyanines have been, and continue to be, well studied in this field, porphyrazines have, to-date, received little attention. In a second study, purpurins are examined as possible alternatives to PhotofrinTM. In a recent study, tissue distribution properties of tin etiopurpurin dichloride, as a function of time, were examined. Results indicate that this purpurin continues to show promise for applications in PDT.

Date Published: 1 June 1991
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 1426, Optical Methods for Tumor Treatment and Early Diagnosis: Mechanisms and Techniques, (1 June 1991); doi: 10.1117/12.44075

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1426:
Optical Methods for Tumor Treatment and Early Diagnosis: Mechanisms and Techniques
Thomas J. Dougherty, Editor(s)