This paper presents laser-induced fluroescence method (LIF) employing endogenous ("autofluroescence") and exogenous fluorophores. LIF is applied for clinical diagnosis in dermatology, gynaecology, urology, lung tumors as well as for early dentin caries. We describe the analysers with He-Ne, He-Cd, and SHG Nd:YAG lasers and new generation systems based on blue semiconductor GaN lasers that have been implemented into clinical practice till now. The LIF method, fundamental one for many medical applications, with excitation radiation of wavelength 400 nm could be appl,ied only using tunable dye lasers or titanium lasers adequte for laboratory investigations. Development of GaN laser shows possibility to design portable, compact diagnostic devices as multi-channel analysers of fluorescence spectra and surface imaging devoted to clinical application. The designed systems used for spectra measurement and registration of fluorescence images include lasers of power 5-30 mW and generate wavelengths of 405-407 nm. They are widely used in PDT method for investigation of superficial distribution of accumulation kinetics of all known photosensitizers, their elimination, and degradation as well as for treatment of superficial lesions of mucosa and skin. Excitation of exogenous porphrins in Soret band makes possible to estimate their concentration and a period of healthy skin photosensitivity that occurs after photosensitiser injections. Due to high sensitivity of spectrum analysers, properties of photosensitisers can be investigated in vitro (e.g. their aggregation, purity, chromatographic distributions) when their concentrations are 2-3 times lower in comparison to concentrations investigated with typical spectrofluorescence methods. Dentistry diagnosis is a new field in which GaN laser devices can be applied. After induction with blue light, decreased autofluorescence intensity can be observed when dentin caries occur and strong characteristic bands of endogenous porphyrines when parodentosis or dental plaque are present.

Date Published: 6 October 2003
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 5229, Laser Technology VII: Applications of Lasers, (6 October 2003); doi: 10.1117/12.520614

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5229:
Laser Technology VII: Applications of Lasers
Wieslaw L. Wolinski; Zdzislaw Jankiewicz; Ryszard Romaniuk, Editor(s)