title: The role of laser-induced fluorescence in myocardial tissue characterization: an experimental in vitro study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The fluorescence of tissue when stimulated by a laser beam is a well-known phenomenon. The resulting emission spectra depend on the biochemical and structural composition of the tissue. In this study, we examined the spectra of laser-induced fluorescence emitted by myocardial tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used an argon-ion laser to stimulate the myocardium of 20 intact sheep hearts. For each spectral emission, we calculated the intensity in specific regions in order to characterize the spectra and to reveal intercavitary and intracavitary morphologic differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The statistical analysis showed significant differences in the emission spectra intensity between atria and ventricles. The intensity was higher in the atria than in the ventricles (p < 0.001). The atrial emission spectra were morphologically different from those of the ventricles. There was no difference in the intensity or morphology of emission spectra within each chamber. All measurements showed good reproducibility after a short period of time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laser-induced fluorescence of myocardial tissue seems to have the characteristics necessary for tissue recognition. This might prove useful in identifying cardiomyopathies and transplant rejection, as well as for myocardial mapping, assisting electrophysiologists in discovering fibrotic arrhythmogenic foci.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Crete, Heraklion Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Kochiadakis
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Chrysostomakis
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Kalebubas
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Filippidis
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Zacharakis
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Papazoglou
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Vardas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007834:Lasers; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012756:Sheep; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence