title: [Fluorescence cystoscopy with hexaminolevulinate: our preliminary experience of 184 procedures].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fluorescence cystoscopy (FC) with hexaminolevulinate (HAL) is a recently introduced technique of photodynamic diagnosis (PDD), which aims to improve the accuracy of white light cystoscopy (WLC) in the diagnosis of superficial bladder tumors (NMIBC), and especially of flat urothelial lesions (dysplasia and Ca in situ). We report our experience of a number of cases of WLC and FC in a single moment with HAL in the diagnosis and follow-up of NMIBC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The method was applied to 184 selected patients with a diagnosis or clinical suspicion - instrumental or early recurrence of bladder neoplasia. The lesions found in white light (WL) and/or blue light (FC) were sampled separately for histological examination. We evaluated the results in terms of diagnostic gain compared to treatment with one WL, false positivity and recurrence-free survival compared to historical reference group treated with WL only.
  
  
  RESULTS
  26.1% of the lesions were found only by the PDD method. The false positivity due to the method adopted was 21.2%. The gain in terms of recurrence-free survival (compared with historical reference group treated only with WL) was 22.3% at 12 months and 24.4% at 20 months. It did not show any systemic side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PDD is a technique that can significantly increase the diagnostic accuracy of NMIBC.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Urologica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fanari
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Lisa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D003558:Cystoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; C419924:5-aminolevulinic acid hexyl ester