Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy for diagnosis of cancerous tissue based on the fluorescence properties of formaldehyde

摘要

We have shown that formaldehyde, a tissue preserver, demonstrates fluorescence properties. Here, laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy is carried out in order to differentiate between normal and cancerous tissues of interest, namely human breast, larynx and colon. Although no spectral shift appears with changes in formaldehyde concentration, the fluorescence emission of impregnated tissues undergo a notable red shift versus fluorophore concentration and the cancerous tissues exhibit a definite blue shift with respect to normal tissues. This emphasizes that endogenous fluorophores in molecules of interest within the scaffold show some spectral shift properties, mainly due to the high propensity for formation of covalent chemical bonds between proteins in tissues.