Patent ID: 7045117

Claim:
A method for tumor diagnosis which comprises: (a) administering to a subject suspected of having a tumor, a compound of the formula I, I′ or I″ wherein A represents OH, OR 1 , —O—(CH 2 ) n —Y, —S—(CH 2 ) n —Y, —NH—(CH 2 ) n —Y, —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH 2 , —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —OH, —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—BOC or —N—(CH 2 —CH═CH 2 ) 2 wherein R 1 represents Na + , K + , (Ca 2+ ) 0.5 , (Mg 2+ ) 0.5 , Li + , NH 4 + + NH 3 —C (CH 2 OH) 3 , + NH 3 —CH 2 —(CHOH) 4 —CH 2 OH, + NH 2 (CH 3 )—CH 2 —(CHOH) 4 —CH 2 OH or + N (C n ,H 2n , +1 ) 4 ; R 2 represents H, OH or COOR 4 , wherein R 4 is C 1 –C 12 alkyl or C 3 –C 12 cycloalkyl; R 3 represents H, OH or C 1 –C 12 alkyl or alkoxy; n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, Y is —NR′ 1 R′ 2 or — + NR′ 1 R′ 2 R′ 3 , X − wherein R′ 1 , R′ 2 and R′ 3 independently from each other represent —CH 3 or —C 2 H 5 ; X is F, Cl, Br or I, n′ is 1, 2, 3 or 4, and wherein ★ denotes an asymmetric carbon and—represents a single saturated bond or a double unsaturated bond; and (b) irradiating the subject by standard procedures and measuring the fluorescence of the suspected area, wherein a higher fluorescence indicates tumor sites.