title: 5-Aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX for the detection of gastrointestinal dysplasia.
abstract: The detection of gastrointestinal dysplasia is an unresolved problem. Fluorescence detection of these premalignancies after exogenous application of 5-aminolevulinic acid, which is converted to protoporphyrin IX and accumulates selectively in tumors, is an interesting approach. Illumination with light of appropriate wavelength allows the discrimination and detection of gastrointestinal neoplasia either by spectroscopy or fluorescence endoscopy because of a typical red fluorescence of protoporphyrin IX. Surveillance of patients with Barrett's esophagus and ulcerative colitis might benefit from this new technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Regensburg, Germany. helmut.messmann@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Messmann
mesh_terms: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000818:Animals; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; C028025:protoporphyrin IX