title: Laser diode coupled with optical fiber for applications in photodynamic therapy.
abstract: A diode laser with roughly 480 mW/cm2 emission at 776 nm was developed and engineered to obtain a uniform illumination of tumour cells deposited on Petri dishes having an external diameter of 5 cm. The efficacy of the apparatus in inducing photocytotoxic effects was successfully checked by irradiation of pigmented melanoma cells in the presence of a photosensitizer, Si(IV)-naphthalocyanine, having intense absorption bands at 776 nm. Our results open interesting prospects for extending photodynamic therapy to highly pigmented tumours.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica Fisica, Università di Venezia, S. Marta 2137, 30123 Venice, Italy.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cecchetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, via Trieste 75, 35121 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biolo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, via Trieste 75, 35121 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jori
keywords: Laser diode; Melanoma; Optical fiber; Photodynamic therapy; pigmented