Patent ID: 8298512

Claim:
A method of detecting the presence of β III tubulin in a specific tissue, said method comprising: a) administering a compound having the following formula (I) to a patient: wherein R 1 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of NO 2 , H, halo, C 1 -C 4 alkyl; C 2 -C 4 alkenyl, C 2 -C 4 alkynyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 5 -C 7 aryl, mono-, di- or tri-chloro, and mono-, di- or tri-methyl; R 2 is H; X is NH; and Z is selected from the group consisting of a bond and CO; and b) waiting a predetermined length of time after said administration of said compound; and c) detecting said compound, wherein said detection after said predetermined length of time indicates the present of β III tubulin in said tissue; wherein said specific tissue is selected from the group consisting of ocular tissue, nerve tissue, mammary tissue, brain tissue, lung tissue, prostate tissue, colon tissue, and uterine tissue; and wherein said detecting comprises detecting the fluorescence of said compound using an angiogram.