Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy of tissues has been proposed as an adjunct to endoscopy for in vivo gastrointestinal (GI) diagnosis of premalignant lesions. In previous studies, under ultraviolet excitation (350-370 nm), sources of LIF signal differences in normal, and premalignant colonie tissues have been identified including 1) changes in gross tissue morphology, 2) increased hemoglobin absorption in adenomatous tissues, and 3) increased red fluorescence in dysplastic cells. However, many questions remain regarding the specific origins and biochemical correlates of GI tissue autofluorescence.

We report on a study of quantitative ultraviolet LIF spectral microscopy in human colonic tissues using a laser scanning confocal microscope with argon laser excitation 351-364 nm. Frozen sections (6μm) of normal colon (n=10) and tubular adenoma (n=8) were prepared from fresh surgical resection specimens using a previously published protocol. To identify histological components accurately, LSCAM slides were alcohol fixed and H&E histologically stained following confocal imaging.