title: Laser irradiative tissue probed in situ by collagen 380-nm fluorescence imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is no ideal method to detect molecular changes in situ of laser-irradiated tissue without removing a section of tissue for histologic examination. A new method is reported to evaluate laser-induced thermal tissue damage in situ by using 380-nm native fluorescence imaging under 340-nm excitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Native fluorescence imaging was performed on laser irradiated bovine tendon tissue and compared with light illuminated photography and histology with picrosirius red F3BA stain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that a decrease in collagen fluorescence at 380 nm was observed in laser-induced thermally damaged tissues. The injured region of tissue defined by its fluorescence image coincided with an area defined by photography and histology.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Lasers, Departments of Electrical Engineering and Physics, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Alfano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001391:Azo Compounds; D002056:Burns / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D002417:Cattle; D004396:Coloring Agents; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010781:Photography; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; C009798:C.I. direct red 80