RESEARCH o d

Early detection of adenomatous colonic polyps is a major concern in the prevention of colon cancer [1,2]. Colorectal cancer can largely be prevented by the early detection and removal of adenomatous polyps. A variety of colorectal cancer screening modalities are available, including stool-based tests and radiological and endo-scopic examinations of the colon [3,4]. These methods are considered to be either lacking in sensitivity or inva-sive, and colon cancer continues to be a major cause of death in the western world. Novel fluorescent nanoparti-cles with potential to improve neoplasm detection sensi-tivity may prove to be a valuable tool in early detection of colon tumors. The key to effective specific imaging in deep tissues is the use of NIR light [5]. Absorption, light scattering and auto