Development of a Fluorescence-Based Imaging System for Colon Cancer Diagnosis Using Two Novel Rhodamine Derivatives

Abstract

. Tissue characterisation by endoscopic fluorescence imaging of exogenous fluorophores appears to be a promising method for cancer detection. Cationic and lipophilic fluorescence compounds of the aminoxanthene chemical family, have been found to exhibit selective accumulation in various carcinoma cells.

In this paper the development of an endoscopic fluorescence-based imaging system with the additional capability of collecting emission spectra is described, which was used with two novel fluorescent probes rhodamine B-leucine amide and rhodamine B-phenyl boronic acid, for colon cancer diagnosis, in ex vivo tissue samples. Fluorescence images of human colon tissue revealed a remarkable differentiation of cancerous, from healthy colonic mucosa, confirmed by histopathology studies. These results from fluorescence imaging of colonic tissue were in total correspondence with the information extracted from the collection of fluorescence spectra.