TY - JOUR
T1 - Human liver autofluorescence
T2 - An intrinsic tissue parameter discriminating normal and diseased conditions
AU - Croce, Anna C.
AU - De Simone, Uliana
AU - Freitas, Isabel
AU - Boncompagni, Eleonora
AU - Neri, Daniele
AU - Cillo, Umberto
AU - Bottiroli, Giovanni
PY - 2010/7
Y1 - 2010/7
N2 - Background and Objective: Autofluorescence (AF) emission is an intrinsic parameter that can provide realtime information on morpho-functional properties of biological tissue, being strictly related with their biochemical composition and structural organization. The diagnostic potentials of AF-based techniques have been investigated on normal, fibrotic, and steatotic liver tissues, in reference to histological features as evidenced by specific histochemical stainings. Materials and Methods: AF emission under excitation at 366nm has been examined on cryostatic tissue sections obtained from biopsies collected during surgical operation, by means of fluorescence imaging and microspectrofluorometric techniques. Results: NAD(P)H, collagen, and vitamin A were found to be the endogenous fluorophores characterizing normal, fibrotic, and steatotic liver tissue AF, respectively. The differences of their photo-physical properties, in terms of emission amplitude, spectral shape, and response to irradiation, give rise to modifications of overall AF signal collected from tissues that allow the liver conditions to be distinguished. Conclusion: The study provides a valid premise for a development of AF-based optical biopsy techniques for a real-time discrimination of liver anatomo-pathological patterns.
AB - Background and Objective: Autofluorescence (AF) emission is an intrinsic parameter that can provide realtime information on morpho-functional properties of biological tissue, being strictly related with their biochemical composition and structural organization. The diagnostic potentials of AF-based techniques have been investigated on normal, fibrotic, and steatotic liver tissues, in reference to histological features as evidenced by specific histochemical stainings. Materials and Methods: AF emission under excitation at 366nm has been examined on cryostatic tissue sections obtained from biopsies collected during surgical operation, by means of fluorescence imaging and microspectrofluorometric techniques. Results: NAD(P)H, collagen, and vitamin A were found to be the endogenous fluorophores characterizing normal, fibrotic, and steatotic liver tissue AF, respectively. The differences of their photo-physical properties, in terms of emission amplitude, spectral shape, and response to irradiation, give rise to modifications of overall AF signal collected from tissues that allow the liver conditions to be distinguished. Conclusion: The study provides a valid premise for a development of AF-based optical biopsy techniques for a real-time discrimination of liver anatomo-pathological patterns.
KW - Endogenous fluorophores
KW - Fibrosis
KW - Imaging
KW - Photo-bleaching
KW - Spectro-fluorometry
KW - Steatosis
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U2 - 10.1002/lsm.20923
DO - 10.1002/lsm.20923
M3 - Article
C2 - 20583250
AN - SCOPUS:77954409451
VL - 42
SP - 371
EP - 378
JO - Lasers in Surgery and Medicine
JF - Lasers in Surgery and Medicine
SN - 0196-8092
IS - 5
ER -