Patent ID: 6233481
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: A61B,A61K

Abstract:
A method for generating an image of a selected area of tissue, the method comprising the steps of:providing a fluorescent photosensitizer compound in combination with a hydrogen-containing solvent to the selected area of tissue;generating acoustic energy for generating free radicals from the solvent;reacting the free radicals with an oxalate ester to generate a key intermediate;transferring chemical energy to the fluorescent photosensitizer compound from the key intermediate;activating the fluorescent photosensitizer compound with the transferred energy to emit long wavelength light within a range of wavelengths; anddetecting the long wavelength light to generate the image of the selected area of tissue; wherein the range of wavelenths minimize the absorption of the emissions by blood and melanin of the selected area of tissue and intervening areas of tissue.