Fluorovisualization effect of acridine orange on mouse osteosarcoma

If the localization of musculoskeletal sarcomas could be visualized during surgery, it would be possible to completely resect the tumor with minimum d amage to normal tissues and the patients could retain a functional limb. Th erefore, we conducted the present study to clarify the usefulness of acridi ne orange (AO) for fluorovisualization of tumors using a mouse osteosarcoma model. At 2 hours after injection of 10 mg/kg AO to mice inoculated with M OS mouse osteosarcoma cells, fluorovisualization of mouse osteosarcoma reac hed the maximum level. Even a 1-mm-diameter lesion of pulmonary metastasis was visualized. The results suggested that AO may be useful for specific fl uorovisualization of human osteosarcomas during surgery.