Autoflurescence spectroscopy of colorectal carcinoma

The submitted dissertation addresses the issue of autofluorescence diagnostics of colorectal carcinoma. The following objectives were set: to verify the possibilities of exploiting the autofluorescence properties of normal colon tissue and tissue changed by tumour to differentiate them and to verify the possibility of using an experimentally created portable measuring set to carry out an "optical biopsy" during the colorectal carcinoma operation. The project solution was divided into three phases: Phase I focused on experimental verification of the fluorescence characteristics of normal colorectal tissue and tissue changed by tumour with the use of argon and a helium-neon laser. The obtained values confirmed the possibility to differentiate not only in terms of quality (change in the spectral curve) but quantity as well (change in intensity of the autofluorescence emission at selected wavelengths). When excited by the He-Ne laser, an approx. 30 a.u. contribution was observed practically throughout the measured interval, the maximum being between 670 - 700 nm, which corresponds to the fluorescence spectre of porphyrins. Normal tissue did not show hardly any activity. When the Ar laser was used, intensity discriminant values ranged only in individual units. Phase II was devoted to verification of the..