Compact system for clinical recordings of laser-induced fluorescence spectra

The increasing interest in laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy for tissue characterization in situ has generated a need for clinically adapted instrumentation. This means that the instrument needs to be compact, fully automated, and equipped with a user friendly interface. We present a compact, optical fibre-based system for clinical recordings of LIF spectra. Excitation light of two wavelengths can be used; 337 nm from a nitrogen laser or 405 nm from a dye laser pumped by the nitrogen laser. The shorter wavelength is preferably used for autofluorescence studies of tissue, while the longer wavelength was chosen to match the excitation spectrum of porphyrins.