LASER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE DETECTION OF MALIGNANCIES IN THE FEMALE GENITAL-TRACT VIA THEIR NATURAL EMISSION AND HYPOCRELLIN (HA) PROBING

A laser-induced fluorescence-guided biopsy system has been developed f or the screening and early detection of malignancies in the female inn er/outer genital tract. Fluorescence spectra were recorded during expo sure of normal and malignant tissue to He-Cd laser (442 nm) radiation. A characteristic increase in the fluorescence signal at 600 nm for ma lignant tissue was observed after treatment of the samples with hypocr ellin (HA). This, combined with the spectral distribution of tissue na tural fluorescence, allowed for the development of simple algorithms, based on the intensity difference. A subsequent index of discriminatio n between normal and various malignant tissues has been calculated. Th ese results suggest that monitoring of this index during colposcopy co uld enhance selective detection of the malignant tissue, reducing the risk of leaving pathologic tissue untreated during standard explorator y surgical procedures.