Frontiers in Physics (Apr 2015)
Fluorescence Guided PDT for Optimization of Skin Cancer Treatment
Abstract
The photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an alternative technique that can be indicated for superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC), Bowen’s disease and actinic keratosis with high efficiency. The objective of this study is to present the importance of fluorescence imaging for PDT guidance and monitoring in real time. Confirming that the lesion is well prepared and the photosensitizer shows a homogenous distribution, the outcome after few PDT sessions will be positive and the recurrence should be lower. Our proposition in this study is use the widefield fluorescence imaging to evaluate the PDT protocol in situ and in real time for each lesion. This evaluation procedure is performed in two steps: first with the monitoring of the production of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) induced by methyl aminolevulinate (MAL), an derivative of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and second with the detection of PpIX photobleaching after illumination. The fluorescence images provide information correlated with distinct clinical features and with the treatment outcome. Eight BCC lesions are presented and discussed in this study. Different fluorescence patterns of PpIX production and photobleaching could be correlated with the treatment response. The presented results show the potential of using widefield fluorescence imaging as a guidance tool to customized PDT.
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