Photodynamic diagnosis and therapy in urology

Investigations of photodynamic effects in diagnosis and therapy of urologic al superficial bladder cancer and premalignancies have led to promising res ults. Increased specificity and sensitivity of clinically used photosensiti zing agents with low side effects led to earlier detection of recurrent uro thelial malignancies as well as possibility of new and alternative treatmen t modalities for in otherwise incurable tumorentities. Based on a 20 years experiences with photodynamic procedures in urology, past, present and futu re aspects of this new techniques in diagnosis and therapy of urothelial pr emalignancies and neoplasias is reviewed. We present our own experiences an d developments with PDD and PDT during the last decade. Photodynamic diagno sis of urothelial dysplasias with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) band photod ynamic therapy using the photosensitizer Photofrin R (HPD) was performed.