抄録
A new photosensitiser, NPe6, was applied to visualize atheromas, NPe6 has been known to accumulate selectively in malignant tumors. We have demonstrated that NPe6 was a potent probe to indicate atherosclerotic plaques depending on it's specific accumulation in the atheroma. The aim of this study is to visualize the atherosclerotic coronary artery on the heart surface in vivo using a newly developed device, an epifluorescence microscopy.
Ten female New Zealand white rabbits were fed on an atherogenic diet containing 0.5%cholesterol for 20 weeks. At 6 hours after administration of NPe6, at a dose of 5mg/kg, rabbits were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. Under artificial ventilation, the chest was opened and the heart was mounted on the pericardial cradle, so that we can see the heart surface clearly. The laser beam with a wavelength of 664nm from a diode laser was irradiated on the heart surface, The atherosclerotic tissues in the coronary artery was recognized by detecting the reddish fluorescence.
We have been reported that atheromas were diagnosed both angioscopically and laparoscopically by detecting the fluorescence spectrum of NPe6 using a spectrophotometer.In this study, we demonstrated specific detection of NPe6 fluorescence in the the atherosclerotic coronary arteries using an epifluorescence stereoscope system with a diode laser.
